individuals--and
their state and non-state supporters--which have in common that they
exploit Islam and use terrorism for ideological ends.

This transnational movement is not monolithic. Although al-Qaida
functions as the movement's vanguard and remains, along with its
affiliate groups and those inspired by them, the most dangerous present
manifestation of the enemy, the movement is not controlled by any
single individual, group, or state. What unites the movement is a
common vision, a common set of ideas about the nature and destiny of
the world, and a common goal of ushering in totalitarian rule. What
unites the movement is the ideology of oppression, violence, and hate.

Our terrorist enemies exploit Islam to serve a violent political
vision. Fueled by a radical ideology and a false belief that the United
States is the cause of most problems affecting Muslims today, our
enemies seek to expel Western power and influence from the Muslim world
and establish regimes that rule according to a violent and intolerant
distortion of Islam. As illustrated by Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, such
regimes would deny all political and religious freedoms and serve as
sanctuaries for extremists to launch additional attacks against not
only the United States, its allies and partners, but the Muslim world
itself. Some among the enemy, particularly al-Qaida, harbor even
greater territorial and geopolitical ambitions and aim to establish a
single, pan-Islamic, totalitarian regime that stretches from Spain to
Southeast Asia.

This enemy movement seeks to create and exploit a division between the
Muslim and non-Muslim world and within the Muslim world itself. The
terrorists distort the idea of jihad into a call for violence and
murder against those they regard as apostates or unbelievers, including
all those who disagree with them. Most of the terrorist attacks since
September 11 have occurred in Muslim countries--and most of the victims
have been Muslims.

In addition to this principal enemy, a host of other groups and
individuals also use terror and violence against innocent civilians to
pursue their political objectives. Though their motives and goals may
be different, and often include secular and more narrow territorial
aims, they threaten our interests and those of our partners as they
attempt to overthrow civil order and replace freedom with conflict and
intolerance. Their terrorist tactics ensure that they are enemies of
humanity