“It is no wonder that initially even bin Laden was reluctant to agree to a merger between [militant Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s organization] al-Tawhid wa al-Jihad in Iraq and Al Qaeda because of Zarqawi’s excessive sectarianism and bloodletting; Zarqawi not only excommunicates believers but also justifies collateral killing of Muslims ‘in order to ward off a greater evil, namely, the evil of suspending jihad,’ according to a recent statement by his organization [on May 18, 2005]. Bin Laden reportedly was not in favor of civil strife between Shiites and Sunnis lest it distract from the focal confrontation against the Americans.”
– Fawaz A. Gerges, The Far Enemy, Page 257