Changes

[[Image:al_qaeda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Osama bin Laden with Al-Qaeda members]]

[[Image:al_qaeda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Osama bin Laden with Al-Qaeda members]]

al-Qaeda is an international Islamist [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization founded in the late 1980s to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. It is currently led by [[Osama Bin Laden]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2001/war_on_terror/default.stm BBC Profile of Al-Qaeda]</ref> and is predominantly composed of fanatical [[Sunni]] [[Islam|Muslim]]s. Al Qaeda is responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]], the bombings of American embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, the October 2000 bombing of the [[U.S.S. Cole]], and numerous smaller attacks. The group's wing in Iraq is believed to be responsible for many of the attacks and bombings there. The 9/11 Commission Report has established connections between Al Qaeda and the government of [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'athist]] government of [[Saddam Hussein]]. "Al Qaeda" is roughly equivalent to "the base" ( القاعدة) in [[Arabic]].

al-Qaeda is an international Islamist [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization founded in the late 1980s to fight the [[Red Army]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[Afghanistan]], during the 1980-89 [[Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan]]. During the war, Osama bin Laden was provided with weapons and training from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]. It is currently led by [[Osama Bin Laden]] and is predominantly composed of fanatical [[Sunni]] [[Islam|Muslim]]s. Al Qaeda is responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]], the bombings of American embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, the October 2000 bombing of the [[USS Cole]], and numerous smaller attacks. The group's wing in Iraq is believed to be responsible for many of the attacks and bombings there. The group has no known connection to the government of [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'athist]] government of [[Saddam Hussein]]. "Al Qaeda" is roughly equivalent to "the base" ( القاعدة) in [[Arabic]].

== References ==

==References==

<references/>

<references/>

[[Category:Terrorists]]

[[Category:Terrorists]]