9/11 Handbook

After the attack of 9/11, the FBI discovered at three different locations a document disclosing how the attackers of 9/11 conceived of their violence and prepared for it. This book contains the first scholarly edition of the Arabic text of the Manual of the Attackers of 9/11, along with an English translation and commentary, and studies concerning its context. The 19 young attackers prepared for their action by spiritual means and this preparation is at the center of the exercises of the manual, while the military character of the attack on the economic, military and political centres of today's "paganism" is merely tacitly presumed. Religious practices during the last night turn the young man into a warrior hero. A second state addresses the perils at the airport. By recitations, the "warrior" gets protection in a world dominated by the mighty technology of "Western Civilization." Finally, the perpetrator prays to become a martyr. By his readiness to die he gives a practical proof for the existence of a power superior to "Western Civilization." Though it is based on scholarly research, this book is written for a broader audience. It makes a document available that is crucial in understanding the attacks of 9/11. It addresses all the issues debated in public, for example: Is the text a forgery? What is its content? Are suicidal attacks typical for Islam? Does Islam allow such violence? How did the theology of Usama bin Ladin affect the Manual and the attack? Is the "War on Terror" an adequate response?Kippenberg, Hans G. is the author of '9/11 Handbook ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781845531294 and ISBN 1845531299.