Alice F. Esposito 
Al Qaeda [PDF ebook] 
Background, Evolution and Assessment

Al Qaeda has evolved into a significantly different terrorist organization than the one that perpetrated the September 11th 2001 attacks. At the time, Al Qaeda was composed mostly of a core cadre of veterans of the Afghan insurgency against the Soviets, with a centralized leadership structure, made up of mostly Egyptians. Most of the organization’s plots either emanated from the top or were approved by the leadership. The core leadership, headed by Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, is thought to live in the mountainous tribal belt of northwest Pakistan, where it continues to train operatives, recruit, and disseminate propaganda. This book focuses on the history of Al Qaeda, the actions and capabilities of the organization and non-aligned entities, and an analysis of select regional Al Qaeda affiliates.