| | After graduating from Cairo Medical School al-Zawahiri began his own practice in his hometown of Maadi. While filling in for a another doctor at the Muslim Brotherhood clinic, he was asked to travel to [[Pakistan]] to tend to the Afghan refugees, which were the result of the Soviets occupation of the country, he readily agreed to the proposition. Al-Zawahiri dreamed of creating a total Islamic state that would be a vanguard for other countries to follow, he saw Afghanistan's terrain as a more suitable location for this jihad<ref> The Looming Tower, L. Wright, pg. 45.</ref>. During his work in Pakistan, he made several visits across the border into Afghanistan. | | After graduating from Cairo Medical School al-Zawahiri began his own practice in his hometown of Maadi. While filling in for a another doctor at the Muslim Brotherhood clinic, he was asked to travel to [[Pakistan]] to tend to the Afghan refugees, which were the result of the Soviets occupation of the country, he readily agreed to the proposition. Al-Zawahiri dreamed of creating a total Islamic state that would be a vanguard for other countries to follow, he saw Afghanistan's terrain as a more suitable location for this jihad<ref> The Looming Tower, L. Wright, pg. 45.</ref>. During his work in Pakistan, he made several visits across the border into Afghanistan. |
| − | In 1980, al-Zawahiri returned to Cairo where he began work as a recruiter for jihad. After Egypt's President [[Anwar Sadat]] was assassinated by a radical group in 1981, al-Zawahiri and other members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested. <ref> http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/zawahiri/profile.html</ref>. While in prison, he and his fellow jihad friends faced frequent [[torture]] under Egypt's inquisition, Intelligence Unit 75. Through interrogation and torture, al-Zawahiri gave information which led to the arrest of other members of the Muslim Brotherhood. In one instance, he was forced to call a suspected terrorist, who Zawari know closly, to tell him to meet him at a location, Egypt's security officials arrested the suspect at the location and placed him in the same prison cell as al-Zawahiri<ref>The Looming Tower, al-Qaeda and the road to 9/11 (book), by Lawrence Wright, pg 53</ref>. Essam al-Qamari, the suspected terrorist and friend of al-Zawahiri, was sentenced to ten years in prison and later shot dead in an attempted escape. | + | In 1980, al-Zawahiri returned to Cairo where he began work as a recruiter for jihad. After Egypt's President [[Anwar Sadat]] was assassinated by a radical group in 1981, al-Zawahiri and other members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested. <ref> http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/zawahiri/profile.html</ref>. While in prison, he and his fellow jihad friends faced frequent [[torture]] under Egypt's inquisition, Intelligence Unit 75. Through interrogation and torture, al-Zawahiri gave information which led to the arrest of other members of the Muslim Brotherhood. In one instance, he was forced to call a suspected terrorist, who Zawari know closely, to tell him to meet him at a location, Egypt's security officials arrested the suspect at the location and placed him in the same prison cell as al-Zawahiri<ref>The Looming Tower, al-Qaeda and the road to 9/11 (book), by Lawrence Wright, pg 53</ref>. Essam al-Qamari, the suspected terrorist and friend of al-Zawahiri, was sentenced to ten years in prison and later shot dead in an attempted escape. |
| − | After three years, al-Zawahiri was released from prison and traveled to [[Saudi Arabia]] and later to [[Jeddah]], where he claims he first met [[Osama Ben Laden]].<ref>The Looming Tower, L. Wight, pg.62</ref> | + | After three years, al-Zawahiri was released from prison and traveled to [[Saudi Arabia]] and later to [[Jeddah]], where he claims he first met [[Osama Bin Laden]].<ref>The Looming Tower, L. Wight, pg.62</ref> |
| | In 1998, the two [[Jihad]] leaders announced the joining of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda to form the ''World Islamic Front for the Jihand Against Jews and Crusaders''<ref> http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir011003_1_n.shtml</ref>. In 1998, the [[United States]] embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzaria]] were destroyed by suicide bombers; the United States later indicted both Ben Laden and al-Zawahiri for the attacks which killed 224 people. In retaliation, the United States lunched cruise missiles, however, both terrorist leaders escaped. | | In 1998, the two [[Jihad]] leaders announced the joining of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda to form the ''World Islamic Front for the Jihand Against Jews and Crusaders''<ref> http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir011003_1_n.shtml</ref>. In 1998, the [[United States]] embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzaria]] were destroyed by suicide bombers; the United States later indicted both Ben Laden and al-Zawahiri for the attacks which killed 224 people. In retaliation, the United States lunched cruise missiles, however, both terrorist leaders escaped. |