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| Arabia |
| The First Lady of Al Qaeda Arrested By Saudi Authorities |
| 2010-07-03 |
| Heila al-Qusayyer is being called the “First Lady of Al Qaeda.” The middle class Saudi mother, now in police custody, allegedly ran a cell of 60 militants, and recruited young women to its ranks. She also raised money – as the main fundraiser for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula she used Islamic charities as a front to take donations of cash and jewelry that then went to funding jihad, or holy war. Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister called the case an alarm bell, a sign that authorities need to rethink counter-terrorism strategy and monitor a whole new profile of jihadis: the middle-aged mother. Analysts say it represents a significant change for Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. “Females have not been real Al Qaeda operatives…in early training manuals it says what the role of women should really be and that was more functioning as nurses or supporter roles,” said Theodore Karasik of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysts, a Dubai-based think tank. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #2 after 30 years of heraing about jihad we do not need toom have it explained too us about what it is anymore. |
| Posted by: chris 2010-07-03 10:24 |
| #1 Wouldn't Osama's Syrian mother be the "first lady" or maybe "the plotting harem mother even when the dad is dead". |
| Posted by: 3dc 2010-07-03 00:59 |