In a December 2000 interview, Montasser al-Zayyat, the unofficial spokesman of the Islamic Group, was asked about al Qaeda second-in-command Dr. Awman al-Zawahiri. “…It was in the course of treating the mujahideen during the Afghan war, al-Zayyat said, that al-Zawahiri converted a certain rich young Saudi [Osama bin Laden] ‘from primarily a donor of money into a holy warrior.’ He emphasized that al-Zawahiri is ‘bin Laden’s mind.’ ” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Peter Bergen, Holy War, Inc., Pages 207-208