ABSTRACT
The final chapter of Part III examines the charismatic appeal of Anwar al-Awlaki. This chapter argues that the tendency for al-Awlaki to be viewed as simply a charismatic figure filling a ‘market gap’ for al-Qaeda – namely English speaking Muslims living in the West – overly simplifies both the nature and significance of his charismatic appeal and influence. Instead this case study frames al-Alwaki’s rise within the context of three key factors: the charismatic leadership phenomenon, the TCPIRM and the al-Qaeda charismatic adhocracy. To address the first of these, this chapter argues that, at a micro-level, al-Awlaki emerged as a charismatic figure due to his ability to construct a charismatic image and narrative that leveraged perceptions of crisis in his primary communities of potential support: Muslim Diasporas in the West. Furthermore, this case study examines how al-Awlaki, who initially emerged as one of countless peripheral charismatic figures during the TCPIRM’s rapid post-2001 expansion, became a major globally significant link in the TCPIRM thanks largely to Western counter-terrorism efforts.
