On January 16, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released its fourth edition of “Inspire” magazine.
“Inspire” is an English-language magazine that offers radical Islamist commentary on world affairs. It is believed to be the product of Yemen-based American citizens Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan.
The 67-page document features encouragement for terrorist sympathizers in the West.
An editorial by al-Awlaki encourages the targeting of major western financial institutions. “We therefore suggest that the following should be targeted: Government owned property; Banks; Global corporations; Wealth belonging to disbelievers with known animosity towards Muslims,” writes al-Awlaki.
Of note, al-Awlaki, who is on America’s “capture or kill” list, writes that “Even though it is allowed to seize the property of individuals… we suggest that Muslims avoid targeting citizens of countries where the public opinion is supportive of some of the Muslim causes.”
The magazine, however, praises the actions of failed Stockholm bomber Taimour Abdulwahhab al-Abdaly, a sign that al-Awlaki’s message of refraining from civilian targets in countries moderately supportive of Muslim causes may have no practical application.
Al-Awlaki continues, “In the case of the United States, both the government and private citizens should be targeted. America and Americans are the [leaders of heresy] in this day and age. The American people who vote for war mongering governments are intent on no good. Anyone who inflicts harm on them in any form is doing a favor to the ummah.”
The editorial underlines the major role Western radicals can play in dealing with the terrorists’ need for funding, writing that “we urge our brothers in the West to take it upon themselves to give this issue a priority in their plans.” Even better, the magazine notes, by avoiding taxes sympathizers can “finance it from the pockets of their enemies.”
Within the issue is a to-do list that includes objectives including: “buy handguns, make bombs, blow up Times Square, and pull off Mumbai style attack on the White House till martyrdom.”
Shia Muslims, according to the issue, are “the third side of the triangle of enemies for the Muslim ummah” and should be targeted in addition to the “Zionist-Crusader alliance.”