Which group is known for claiming that it is a religious duty to attack Americans?

The group known for claiming that it is a religious duty to attack Americans is Al-Qaeda. Founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda has a history of expressing a theological justification for its violent actions against the U.S. and its allies. The group believes that such attacks are in alignment with their interpretation of jihad, which they see as a sacred struggle against what they consider the enemies of Islam, particularly Western influences and involvement in Muslim-majority countries. Al-Qaeda's attacks, including the September 11 attacks in 2001, were framed by its leaders as fulfilling a religious obligation to fight against perceived aggressors.

In contrast, while groups like Boko Haram, ISIS, and the Taliban also engage in violence and have various motivations for their actions, their contexts and specific claims regarding jihad may differ. Boko Haram primarily operates in Nigeria with a focus on opposing Western education and influences. ISIS emerged more recently and has also claimed an aggressive religious mandate, but its formation and ideology are distinct from that of Al-Qaeda. The Taliban is more focused on controlling Afghanistan and imposing their interpretation of Islamic law rather than explicitly framing their attacks as a duty to target Americans.