Quilliam: The Arab world has moved on from al-Qaida

Maajid Nawaz, Quilliam’s director, commented on Osama bin Laden’s death:

“Osama bin Laden’s death comes at a time when al-Qaida is struggling to remain relevant. As events in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen have also shown, the Arab world has moved on since al-Qaida was founded in the 1980s.

“A clear majority of Muslims around the world have decisively rejected al-Qaida’s vision; people’s real concerns are now about poverty, unemployment and a lack of government accountability; not about establishing a caliphate and fighting a worldwide jihad against the West.

“Bin Laden’s death – combined with the events of Arab Spring – offers a clear chance for Muslims throughout the world to move on from the era of al-Qaida and to find ways to achieve dignity, prosperity and social justice without resorting to violence. It is a chance too for jihadist groups around the world to reconsider their aims and methods, and to consider how they can help Muslims around the world rather than attacking them.”