mention the al-qaeda morphs into eventually. you mention the isis movement and i wonder if you could tell me a bit more about al-qaeda s ideology and how it differs from other factions, including the islamic state group? well, i am not sure there are significant differences in terms of ideology. some scholars tend to pick small, if you like, differences in the way that for example isis defines who is a muslim and therefore, who can be killed for being an upper state an apostate. they have had to do that in order to exclude al-qaeda and research that i have done recently, speaking to al-qaeda affiliate and isis prisoners in central asia, indicates that there is a bloody feud going on between the former al-qaeda affiliates and isis, with massive
the last of the iconic leaders, of course, bin laden was killed and so have others been, many others, including some whose names will not be household names, except in the extremist circles, such as abu nasser al zarqawi who gave birth to the isis movement. so the point here is that the old al-qaeda is dead but the brand of al-qaeda will continue, as indeed the nazi brand continued after the death of hitler and the defeat of the nazis in germany. so i don t think we could call it an end but a transition phase in whatever al-qaeda morphs into eventually. you