But why was its sanctuary not attacked before September 2001, in particular after the bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998? Abou Zahab and Roy argue that this was because the Taliban was only part of a much wider radical Islamic network in the region, whose true centre was Pakistan, not Afghanistan. Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Pakistani Deobandis, the IMU of Uzbekistan -- all these groups are based in Pakistan, which served, and serves, as the regional hub for Islamist movements and their terrorist offshoots. What is the history of this phenomenon? Above all, given their divergent histories and doctrinal rifts, how were these disparate Islamist movements slowly coordinated with the aim of attacking what became their common adversary, the United States? This book investigates and explains the almost 25-year gestation of these interlinked radical Islamist networks of Pakistan, Central Asia and Afghanistan, including the support they have received from Pakistan's Inter-Services-Intelligence agency (ISI).

But why was its sanctuary not attacked before September 2001, in particular after the bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998? Abou Zahab and Roy argue that this was because the Taliban was only part of a much wider radical Islamic network in the region, whose true centre was Pakistan, not Afghanistan. Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Pakistani Deobandis, the IMU of Uzbekistan -- all these groups are based in Pakistan, which served, and serves, as the regional hub for Islamist movements and their terrorist offshoots. What is the history of this phenomenon? Above all, given their divergent histories and doctrinal rifts, how were these disparate Islamist movements slowly coordinated with the aim of attacking what became their common adversary, the United States? This book investigates and explains the almost 25-year gestation of these interlinked radical Islamist networks of Pakistan, Central Asia and Afghanistan, including the support they have received from Pakistan's Inter-Services-Intelligence agency (ISI).

2008-02-04 A very useful tool for researchers

"Islamic Networks" by Abou Zahab and Olivier Roy is a useful tool to understand the complexity of the Afghan-Pakistan Jihadism. May be you get lost in the midst of the huge amount of acronyms, movements, and individuals you will meet in its pages. Nonetheless this book shows very clearly the complex dynamics at play in Pakistan and beyond: its most valuable asset. Unfortunately, some predictions made by the authors before 2004 proved too much optimistic, especially when relating to the supposed total defeat suffered by the Taliban in 2001. An assessment to revise. But the whole picture emerging from this book is impressive. Zahab and Roy prove how the problems Musharraf is facing today are still the same he had to deal with since September 11th and his choice to side with US in the Global War on Terror. I recommend it for a reading, eventually together with "Frontline Pakistan", by Zahid Hussain.
Germano Dottori