By Abdul Hameed Bakier
In response to an article posted in an Islamist internet forum entitled "Bin Laden...The Puzzling Disappearance," forum users spent a week discussing the possible reasons behind the disappearance of Osama bin Laden from the international spotlight (http://www.tajdeed.org, May 20). The article was authored by the user "Shab," a member of the Tajdeed forum since 2002, who argued that bin Laden has historically been the director, guide and leader of al-Qaeda since its establishment. Shab asserted that bin Laden was in control of the Islamic leadership as well as al-Qaeda operatives abroad, citing the example of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was appointed by bin Laden as the amir of Iraq. Yet, Shab pointed out that the disappearance of bin Laden for the last year and a half and the frequent surfacing of his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, have raised speculation about al-Qaeda's attempts to fill the void created by bin Laden's absence from the international arena. The following three issues were discussed by forum users in response to the post:
1. The Possibility of Bin Laden's Death
2. Communication and Personal Safety
3. Bin Laden Plotting a Major Attack on the United States
Pertinent Links:
1) Islamist Forum Debates the Fate of Bin Laden (pdf file)
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