What is happening in Los Angeles these days is insurrection enough, but Sa’ad al-Awlaki, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), wants much more. If he gets his way, America will be awash in blood, with the principal leaders of the Trump administration, above all the president himself, all assassinated. Al-Awlaki sees such assassinations as an Islamic religious duty, and made his case to Muslims in America, some of whom are already out on the streets in Los Angeles, on the basis of their Islamic responsibilities. Whether any will take heed remains to be seen.
Advertisement
In a video published on Sunday, al-Awlaki asserted that assassinating non-Muslim leaders was a form of Islamic jihad: “Anyone who can revive the tradition of assassinations and is near the leaders of apostasy – those who support the war in Gaza with money, aid, and logistics, the Jewish Arabs, like the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and all the rulers of the Arabian Peninsula – should not hesitate even for a moment. By Allah, [assassinations] are the greatest form of jihad today.” The “Jewish Arabs” are the Muslim leaders whose countries have accords with Israel, or who have, like Saudi Arabia, been working toward a rapprochement with the Jewish state largely behind the scenes.
As for assassinating leaders, that is indeed an Islamic tradition. As “The History of Jihad” explains in detail, in the twelfth century, a Shi’ite Muslim sect, the Nizari Ismailis, came to be known as the Assassins. With their planned murders of many of their individual opponents, the Assassins gave the English language its word for one who commits planned, premeditated murder, and foreshadowed the individual jihad terror attacks of the twenty-first century.
The word “assassin” is derived from “hashashin,” or hashish smokers, a name given to the group by its foes and based on stories about their novel method of recruiting new members. Recruits would be given hashish and taken into a garden where beautiful women awaited them. Later, when they came to their senses, they were told that they had been in paradise and that they could return there by killing Allah’s enemies and being slain in the process, thereby taking hold of Allah’s promise of paradise to those who “kill and are killed” (Qur’an 9:111).
Advertisement
Today, al-Awlaki has some very specific targets in mind. He called upon observant Muslims in countries that aren’t attacking Israel, and who “fear Allah’s punishment for abandoning their brothers in Palestine,” to take matters into their own hands and “strike the Jews, the American military bases in the region, and the American aircraft carriers that are looming in the sea here.”
Al-Awlaki was just getting warmed up. He issued a direct call to the “4.5 million Muslims in America,” telling them they didn’t need special permission to kill: “Do not consult anyone about killing infidel Americans.” He had some extremely specific targets in mind:
You should have a lot of determination and the list of your targets should be effective. Go after the scum of the earth and its greatest criminals. This is Trump and his VP. This is Elon Musk, his advisor and his supporter in terms of finance, administration, and technology. These are his Secretary of State and his Secretary of Defense. Go after their families, and all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians of the White House. There are no red lines after all that has been happening to our people in Gaza – the genocidal war, and the systematic, and deliberate killing of women, children, and the elderly. Reciprocal response is lawful, especially because they are continuing to kill our women and children in Palestine, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. When they cease doing that, we will cease as well.
Advertisement
Related: Why Are Some L.A. Rioters Wearing Hamas Gear?
Not even that was all. Al-Awlaki added: “Go after the Senate – the parliament of the real Zionists. It is the den of evil and lair of pus and filth. Go after the institutions that support the Jews and the American government, like Microsoft, and all the companies that support the American Army, Air Force, or Navy, and any company that manufactures ammunition or other things. Go after Elon Musk’s companies. They are legitimate targets, and so are all the similar companies that participate in the war against Muslims.” Was there anyone in the U.S. that al-Awlaki did not want Muslims to attack violently? If there was, he didn’t say so.
These were not the ravings of a madman. Al-Awlaki is a respected leader of a jihad group that has been on the scene for well over two decades. American law enforcement and intelligence officials should pay careful attention to his words, and watch carefully for any indications that anyone wants to heed his call. Otherwise, the Los Angeles riots will end up looking like a placid prelude to a far bloodier conflagration.
The establishment media ignores jihad activity, but unfortunately, it is still very much with us. Get the whole truth and nothing but the truth: Join PJ Media VIP with code FIGHT for 60% off!
