Al-Qa Ia Structure

Al-Qa’ida (‘the Base’) is an international terrorist organization that was founded by Osama bin Laden in August of 1988. Bin Laden, a son of a wealthy and prominent Saudi family, trained and fought with the mujahedeen in Afghanistan during the 1989 Soviet Invasion of the country. The organization continues to pose a threat to regions of North Africa and the Middle East, as well as various Western countries. This organization seeks to unite Muslims as a means of overthrowing any regimes that the group deems “apostate,” expelling Western influence from Muslim countries, and defeating Israel. This organization is quick to claim responsibility after committing suicide attacks, “lone wolf” attacks and bombings. They claim that it is a holy Islamic …show more content…
It is thought to consist of seven elements. The command and control node, or the shura council (consultation council), is the most important and highest authority in the organization, excluding the emir and the deputy emir. It also plans and supervises all of the organization’s activity. Further, it oversees the organization’s policies and regulations, the preparation of any plans, its annual budget, and even elects individuals to the different committees. The military committee is comprised of four sections: the General Section, the Main Unit, the Training Unit, and the Special Operations Unit. It oversees all aspects of operational and military activity, including the mental and physical preparation for combat and training. It also is responsible for developing military technical kills, combat skills, and procedures for the creation of an army based on its interpretation of the Qur’an. The sharia or political committee helps to spread political awareness among individuals. It teaches qualified cadre about the political activity in the framework of the general activity of the organizations, in accordance with sharia law. The media committee, or the information committee, is the propaganda arm of the organization. It spreads the jihad ideology to the Muslim population. It has a computer department and several subunits that act as a printing press, a translations branch, a photography branch, and an archives branch. Its media production house is the Foundation for Islamic Media Publication. The finance committee, also called the administrative committee, is in charge of administrative services for the group’s members and their families. It is further broken down into the accommodation unit, the inter-organization services unit, and the accounting unit. The security committee provides personal security for the senior leaders, aids in the prevention of information leaks, and also