Earlier this month, the head of the Lion of Islam group, Ayman al-
Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
, said in a video that it had created an Indian branch that would bring Islamic rule to the entire subcontinent.
"If anyone thinks Indian Moslems will dance to their tune, they are delusional. Indian Moslems will live for India. They will die for India," Modi said in an interview with CNN, excerpts of which were aired Friday. The full interview is to be broadcast Sunday.
Most terrorist threats in India have emanated from Pakistain or Kashmire, the disputed Himalayan region claimed by both countries. Al-Qaeda's influence there is thought to be minimal.
Many analysts in India dismissed al-Zawahiri's video as a publicity stunt that appeared directed more at his own rivals in the international jihadi movement.
Moslems constitute about 13% of India's population of nearly 1.2 billion. The country has largely seen itself as beyond the recruiting territory of international jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda. Over the last few months, however, the Islamic State group has gained at least a handful of followers in India. Last month, an Indian engineering student who was thought to have joined the group was reported killed.