more facts proving ISIS would exist regardless of USA and was around before 9/11 even::::::::
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's interpretation of Islamic takfir — accusing another Muslim of heresy and thereby justifying his killing — was extreme, which caused friction between him and Osama bin Laden. On his first meeting with Bin Laden in 1999, Zarqawi reportedly declared: "Shiites should be executed".
The Short, Violent Life of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi - The Atlantic
Zarqawi's political motivation came partly from what he considered U.N.'s "gift" of Palestine "to the Jews so they can rape the land and humiliate our people", partly, but connected with the former, from what he considered (U.N.'s support for) (American) oppressors of Iraq and the consequent "humiliation [of] our nation".
Transcript | The Insurgency | FRONTLINE | PBS
Al-Zarqawi started the group with the intention of overthrowing the 'apostate' Kingdom of Jordan, which he considered to be un-Islamic according to the four schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. After toppling Jordan's monarchy, presumably he would turn to the rest of the Levant.
For these purposes he developed numerous contacts and affiliates in several countries. Although it has not been verified, his network may have been involved in the late 1999 plot to bomb the Millennium celebrations in the United States and Jordan. Al-Zarqawi and his operatives are held responsible by the US for the assassination of US diplomat Laurence Foley in Jordan in 2002.
Foreign Terrorist Organization: Designation of Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad and Aliases
Within a half year after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi was a household name for brutal beheadings and a suicide bombing campaign in Iraq against Shiite religious targets and Sunni civilians.
JTJ's tactics relied heavily on suicide bombings, often using car bombs, but also included targeted kidnappings, the planting of improvised explosive devices, and mortar attacks. Beginning in late June 2004, JTJ conducted urban guerrilla-style attacks using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. They also gained worldwide notoriety for beheading Iraqi and foreign hostages and distributing video recordings of these acts on the Internet.
The group targeted the Iraqi Security Forces and those facilitating the occupation, Iraqi interim officials, Iraqi Shia and Kurdish political and religious figures, the country's Shia Muslim civilians, foreign civilian contractors, and United Nations and humanitarian workers.
Foreign Terrorist Organization: Designation of Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad and Aliases