To join al-Qaida, first a few applicant questions

In Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida, applicants for the terrorist roster were asked a battery of sometimes surprisingly mundane questions, according to a U.S. translation of captured documents.

Among them:

• “Any hobbies or pastimes?”

• “What is your favorite material: science or literature?”

• “Date of your arrival in the land of Jihad”

• “Have you ever been convicted by any court?” When and for what offense?

• “Do you have any chronic or hereditary diseases?”

Other questions were of a more chilling variety:

• “Do you wish to execute a suicide operation?”

• “Who should we contact in case you become a martyr? Provide address and phone numbers.”

Associated Press