US study suggest Bin Laden not top Islamist thinker

[ECH1969]

Osama bin Laden may be the leading symbol of global Islamist militancy but the al Qaeda leader wields less influence over Islamist ideology than more obscure religious thinkers, according to a new study issued on Wednesday.

The Militant Ideology Atlas, compiled by the Combating Terrorism Centre at West Point, instead showed Palestinian cleric Mohammed al-Maqdisi as the most influential living Islamist thinker.

Maqdisi, reportedly a mentor to the late al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is currently in prison in Jordan.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3862887a12,00.html

[mike_c]

1. I'm sure this will come as a shock to Islamic scholars worldwide....

Not. Sheesh.

[nealmhughes]

2. Since when has bin Laden ever been thought of as being a "thinker"?

bin Laden's main contribution has been as a cashcow and a source to milk other cows for his extreme Wahhabi interpretation of revenge, social change and odd bits of hospitality tossed in for the ride (such as schools , clinics, and other charity acts. Unfortunately, his knack for action also led him to form the militarized al Qaeda has led to embassy bombings in East Africa, the USS Cole bombing and of course, the destruction of the WTC.

I don't know of any writings by him, only tapes to which his followers listen. One might even be so brash as to consider him a wealthy diletante who is a religious faantic and has a small following and was a constant thorn in the sides of the Anti-Soviet resistance fighters, save for the goods he could deliver.

[Turbineguy]

3. Lucky for bin Laden

that he is up against George W Bush!

He ain't exactly a top thinker either!

[leesa]

4. Duh! Have they heard about Shiites and Sunnis yet?