The ME is a horrendously complicated place and they’re ultimately all at each others throats, they’ll support their ‘enemies’ when it suits them. I had always thought (and been told by people in country) that Saudi and the UAE and probably other nations int he ME ‘fund’ ISIS and other terrorist groups to keep them off their territory – its no conincidence there hasn’t been a suicide bomb in Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Doha/Jeddah etc., they should be prime targets due to their dealings with the decedant western infidels – especially Dubai, and alot of terrorists have come out of Saudi. It’s not becasuse their intelligence services are 100% effective, they bribe these organisations to stay out.

wobbliscott – Member

I had always thought (and been told by people in country) that Saudi and the UAE and probably other nations int he ME ‘fund’ ISIS and other terrorist groups to keep them off their territory …… they bribe these organisations to stay out.

Perhaps that goes on to an extent, but how do you explain the massive insurgency and civil war in Iraq? It wasn’t spontaneous or accidental, it was Al Qaeda in Iraq, which ISIS is a spin off from. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is thought to have been funded by Saudi, initially through Bin Laden.

Perhaps that goes on to an extent, but how do you explain the massive insurgency and civil war in Iraq? It wasn’t spontaneous or accidental. It seems to be the case that ISIS is essentially a spin off of Al Queda in Iraq.

Not really:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html

grum

Not really:

Haji Bakr was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s deputy. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was al-Zarqawi’s deputy. Or am I missing something?

That al-Baghdadi wasn’t really the leader – he was essentially a figurehead chosen to give ISIS a religious public image, when really the real leaders are former Iraqi secret services/military intelligence who aren’t religious fanatics.

grum – Member

That al-Baghdadi wasn’t really the leader – he was essentially a figurehead chosen to give ISIS a religious public image, when really the real leaders are former Iraqi secret services/military intelligence who aren’t religious fanatics.

The link you posted mentions Bakr met with with al-Zarqawi but doesn’t go into any detail. I think we could speculate (or guess wildly) that ISIS spawned from Al Qaeda in Iraq, a handful of other groups and military intelligence you mention.