AL-QAEDA AND THE PHINEHAS PRIESTHOOD TERRORIST GROUPS WITH A COMMON ENEMY AND SIMILAR JUSTIFICATIONS FOR TERROR TACTICS A Dissertation by DANNY WAYNE DAVIS Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2003 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development © 2003 DANNY WAYNE DAVIS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED AL-QAEDA AND THE PHINEHAS PRIESTHOOD TERRORIST GROUPS WITH A COMMON ENEMY AND SIMILAR JUSTIFICATIONS FOR TERROR TACTICS A Dissertation by DANNY WAYNE DAVIS Submitted to Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved as to style and content by: ____________________________ ____________________________ Walter Stenning Kenneth Paprock (Chair of Committee) (Member) ____________________________ ____________________________ James Kracht Clifford Whetten (Member) (Member) ____________________________ Yvonna S. Lincoln (Head of Department) December 2003 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development iii ABSTRACT Al-Qaeda and the Phinehas Priesthood Terrorist Groups with a Common Enemy and Similar Justifications for Terrorist Tactics. (December 2003) Danny Wayne Davis, B.A., Texas A&M University; M.S., Troy State University at Troy, Alabama Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Walter Stenning The majority of studies on terrorist groups in the past have been conducted from the perspectives of political science, sociology, or psychology. This historical comparative study examines two terrorist organizations through a human resource development (HRD) lens. The study’s goal is to provide a fresh perspective on terrorism to the current discussion of the subject within the public and private sectors. A comprehensive literature review is used to examine religiously based terrorist groups. The following HRD models and theories are used to frame this research: the Basic Systems Model of Swanson and Holton (2001), Daft’s definition of an organization (2001), the work of Watkins and Marsick (1992 & 1993) on learning organizations, and group theory as discussed by Johnson and Johnson (2000). Crenshaw’s (2001) work on terrorist group theory also helps provide a foundation to the discussion. The study begins with a short review of terrorism during the twentieth, and the first years of the twenty-first centuries. Next, the histories, cultures, and beliefs of the fundamentalist Islamic or Islamist movement and the Christian Identity movement are iv traced. The focus is then narrowed and an in-depth study of al-Qaeda and the Phinehas Priesthood, from the Islamist and Christian Identity movements, respectively, is conducted. The context of HRD organizational traits is used to portray the similarities and differences between these terrorist groups. There were eight major findings from this study. 1. Al-Qaeda and the Phinehas Priesthood possess structure and demonstrate input, output, process, and interaction with, and feedback from their external environment (Swanson & Holton, 2001) as do conventional organizations. 2. Both groups demonstrate structure and group dynamics similar to conventional organizations. 3. Members of both groups profess beliefs similar to those in mainstream Islam and Christianity, respectively. 4. The belief that God’s law is superior to that of man in held in common by al-Qaeda and the Priesthood. This belief is based on the revealed word of God, the Koran and Bible, respectively. 5. Members of both groups believe they have been chosen by God to right the wrongs of society and/or the world. Violent acts in support of this mission are fully justified. 6. A common goal of these groups is to establish racially and culturally pure societies on some scale. 7. Al-Qaeda and the Phinehas Priesthood are both anti-Semitic. 8. Members of these groups are culturally isolated from mainstream society. The study makes four recommendations to HRD practitioners, government policy makers, and educators in pursuit of the goal of providing a fresh perspective on terrorism. v DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the four Christian ladies of my life. The first three guided me as a child and helped me become a man. “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Peggy Wilson Davis Reevel Crysup Wilson Jimmie Garrett Davis 1927 - 1904 - 1906 – 1974 The fourth Christian lady has lived with me for over twenty-five years and is truly the better half. “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband” (Proverbs 12:4). Mary Herttenberger Davis 1957 - vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I acknowledge the blessings of the Good Lord who provided me with good health, persistence, an inquiring intellect, and a supportive wife. Dr. Walter Stenning, chair of my committee, is a person of like mind in terms of education, training, and ideas of national security. He has guided me through the doctoral process with an aplomb resultant of his doing this job many times before. Dr. Kenneth Paprock encouraged me to delve into the psychological and motivational aspects of terrorist groups. His advice greatly strengthened and broadened this study. Dr. Clifford Whetten insisted that my study remain grounded in HRD theory and that I show the relevance of my findings to the world of the educator. For his clear counsel I am grateful. Dr. James Kracht helped me to reduce the target of my research project to a more manageable and focused arena. His insights and advice were invaluable. Dr. Jerry Stuth, my GCR, was very supportive of this study and acted as a positive role model for me. My son, Stuart W. Davis continued to supply the venison, even as his Dad sat in the pickup and studied HRD theory and terrorism. Last, but certainly first in my mind in terms of support, is my wife, Mary L. Davis. Her love and patience have sustained me through the doctoral process. She was principal critic and editor of this project. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT …………………………………………………..….….………….……iii DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………….…...v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………………….vi TABLE OF CONTENTS…………….……………………………...………………..vii TABLE OF FIGURES ………………………………………………………………..ix LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………….….x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION…………………………………………..……..…………1 Statement of the Problem…………………………………..….….………3 Purpose of the Study………………………………………..….….……...4 Usefulness of the Study…………………………………..……….……...5 Research Questions……………………………………….…….……….. 5 Operational Definitions ..………………………………….….………….5 Assumptions ……………………………………………………….……..8 Limitations of the Study……………………………………….…….……9 II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE……………………………….………...10 Introduction…………..…………………………………………..……....10 Applicable Theories………………………….……...…...……….……...12 Terrorism in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries ……….………..16 The Wahhabi Movement and Terrorism…………………………..….….32 The al-Qaeda Group (The Base) ……………………..…………….……35 The American Radical Right, Christian Identity and Terrorism.…….......69 Phinehas and His Priesthood…………..…………………………….…...71 British Israelism and Christian Identity……………………..…….….….73 The Phinehas Priesthood……………………..……………………….….92 Today’s Phinehas Priesthood…………………………..…………….…..99 Summary……………………………….……………………………….129 viii CHAPTER Page III METHODOLOGY…………………………...………………….…………..130 Population………………………………………………….…………..131 Instrumentation………………….………………………….………….131 Procedures….………………………………………………………….135 Data Collection and Analysis………………………………….………137 Validity, Dependability, and Researcher Worldview……….…………138 IV FINDINGS…………………………………………………………………141 Chapter Overview……………………………………………………..141 Research Question 1, Findings……………………………………...…142 Research Question 2, Findings………………………….……………..157 Chapter Summary……………...…………………………….………..162 V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS…….……………...……170 Summary ……………………………………………...……………...170 Conclusions………...…………………………………………………175 Recommendations …………………………………………...……….177 Closing Statement………………………………...…………………..180 REFERENCES..……………………………………………………….............…….182 APPENDIX A WAHHABI SECT DEVELOPMENT………………….…………..202 APPENDIX B WAHHABI DOCTRINE STATEMENT…..………….…..………..204 APPENDIX C CHRISTIAN IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT..……………….……..208 APPENDIX D A CHRISTIAN IDENTITY DOCTRINAL STATEMENT………..210 VITA…...…………………………………………………………………………....216 ix LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Basic Systems Model With Terrorist Groups Traits Applied (as adapted from Swanson & Holton, 2001). ……………………………..13 Figure 2. Influences on Participation in Religiously Justified Terrorist Groups [al-Qaeda]. ………………………………………………………..44 Figure 3. Conceptual Diagram of al-Qaeda Group Structure. ……………………...55 Figure 4. Influences on Participation in Religiously Justified Terrorist Groups [Phinehas Priesthood]. ……………………………………………………98 Figure 5. Conceptual Diagram of the Phinehas Priesthood in the Context of the American Christian Identity Movement. ………………………..……....100 x LIST OF TABLES Page TABLE 1 Structure and Organization [Blank version of Table 12]………….……..133 TABLE 2 Group Dynamics [Blank version of Table 13]…………………………...133 TABLE 3 Planning and Decision Making [Blank version of Table 14]……..……...133 TABLE 4 Operations [Blank version of Table 15]…...……………………………..133 TABLE 5 Training [Blank version of Table 16]………..…………………………...134 TABLE 6 Operational Security[Blank version of Table 17]……………………..…134 TABLE 7 Sponsors and Support Mechanisms [Blank version of Table 18]….…….134 TABLE 8 Communications [Blank version of Table 19]…………………………...134 TABLE 9 Feedback from Society [Blank