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Home base: Afghanistan/Pakistan Large bases: Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali, and Niger Large presence: Syria/Iraq, Egypt, Sudan and Burkina Faso Active: Uganda/Kenya, Chad, CAR, Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau Major source of funding: Saudi Arabia and Qatar |
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The following are excerpts from a report by the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence titled:
Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamist Threat
Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamist Threat
Al-Qaeda and Islamist extremist terrorist groups with like-minded goals and ideologies remain one of the most immediate strategic threat to the national security of the U.S.
America’s intelligence agencies are in agreement that:
Al-Qaeda leaders and their affiliates remain committed to global jihad against the west.
Al-Qaeda leaders wait patiently for the right opportunity to attack.
Al-Qaeda has metastasized its scale of influence by reaching out to like-minded Islamist extremist groups and inspiring new groups
and individuals to emerge and carry out independent attacks.
The U.S. must be concerned about the threat of homegrown terrorism.
The Islamist extremist threat will continue to grow through the exploitation and use of the Internet.
Bin Laden said: "They [al-Qaeda] are in the final stages and you will see them in the heart of your land as soon as the planning is complete."
As long as al-Qaeda can spread its ideology to other groups the movement will continue to grow and threaten to change the way the Islamic world is governed.
Organizations like Jemaah Islamiya, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat have shown willingness to support al-Qaeda’s global operations. Al-Qaeda is looking to leverage support from affiliates to carry out attacks against the U.S. Al-Qaeda associated groups maintain a presence in dozens of countries worldwide, including the U.S.
The potential for America to face homegrown terrorism is real.
Al-Qaeda has called for a war against the U.S. and the West to remove their presence from Moslem territories as the first step to restoring the Moslem Caliphate.
Al-Qaeda understands the importance another attack on the United States would mean for its movement. The importance of such a strike cannot be overstated. For Islamist extremist groups, 9/11 was the ‘shot heard around the world’. Al-Qaeda looks to capitalize on the attack to further undermine and challenge western ideals and the United Stated position as a world power. Al-Qaeda uses these attacks in its propaganda to show disempowered and rudderless youth throughout the Middle East that they too can strike a powerful blow for the global jihad.
Recall that the first moderately successful al-Qaeda associated attack against the World Trade Center occurred in 1993. Rather than an immediate second attempt, al-Qaeda waited almost a decade before striking the U.S. homeland again.
An attack may simply be in the planning stage. Islamist extremist groups use terrorist attacks to propagate the organization’s ideology among its supporters. The Intelligence Community continues to be concerned about al-Qaeda’s efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Bin Laden said: “Acquiring weapons for the defenses of Moslems is a religious duty. If I have indeed acquired these weapons then I thank God for enabling me to do so. And if I seek to acquire these weapons I am carrying out a duty." There is a detailed public record of al-Qaeda’s interest in obtaining chemical and biological weapons.
Bin Laden preferred not to operate with banks that charged interest since usury is prohibited by the Quran. Al-Qaeda did however use banks that operate according to Islamic principles. The result was a layered system that kept the U.S. in the dark.
Al-Qaeda’s activities were supported largely through various fundraising efforts worldwide including contributions from mosques.
In his July 2005 letter to the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi (militant Islamist from Jordan who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan), Ayman al Zawahiri (leader of al-Qaeda) discussed al-Qaeda’s goals in Iraq, which he believed could be accomplished in four stages.
First: Expel the Americans from Iraq.
Second: Establish an Islamic authority, then develop it and support it until it achieves the level of a Caliphate over as much territory as you can to spread its power in Iraq.
Third: Extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighboring Iraq.
Fourth: Eliminate Israel and the possibility that an Israeli state would challenge any new Islamic entity.
If Islamist extremist groups are successful in preventing a legitimate government from flourishing in Iraq, the country could become a permanent base for al-Qaeda to recruit, train and conduct operations against non-Islamic governments in the region and eventually the U.S. It would be seen as a tremendous success for Islamist extremist groups and boost terrorist ability to recruit new members far beyond the current rate. Al-Zarqawi created a Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq to downplay al-Qaeda’s role in these attacks and put an Iraqi face on the insurgency. The war in Iraq became a major rally point and a fertile recruiting ground for al Qaeda.
Besides Zarqawi’s group, al-Qaeda benefits from the support it receives from foreign fighters who have traveled to Iraq to destabilize the region and prevent forces from spreading democratic values to Iraq and its neighbors. Foreign fighters use Iraq to gain battle experience before returning home to conduct terrorist attacks against governments and civilians.
Unlike the mujahideen who retuned home from Afghanistan in the 1980’s trained in rural guerilla warfare, the fighters who leave Iraq will have acquired first hand experience in urban warfare—including the use of improvised explosive devices. Upon returning home, they have the potential to use their knowledge, credibility and popularity to recruit and train younger generations to fight against the U.S.
These terrorist groups continue to present a considerable threat to coalition forces, Iraq’ s new government, and neighboring countries.
The Global terrorist network
Coalition success in the global war on terrorism has forced al-Qaeda’s core elements increasingly to reach out to other Sunni Islamist extremist groups for support. These other groups have focused their efforts against local targets, but there is growing evidence that these groups are more willing to work with al-Qaeda. This is especially true when working with al-Qaeda serves their own particular interests. Some of these groups have received training, weapons and funding from al-Qaeda. Others have received ideology.
Jemaah Islamiya (JI) is a southeast Asia based radical Islamist group that began violent attacks against regional targets in the 1990’s. JI’s stated goal is a pan Islamic state across much of the region. It has shown the willingness to inflict mass casualties against innocent civilians and those it believes to be allied with Western interests. It is responsible for recent attacks in Indonesia, including the Bali bombing in 2002 that killed 202 people and wounded some 300 others, the J.W. Marriott bombing in 2003, the 2004 bombing of the Australian Embassy and the second attack on Bali in 2005.
Depending on what takes place in Iraq, al-Qaeda members and other terrorist operative could migrate to Indonesia. As the world’s most populous Moslem country, Indonesia appears to be an obvious place to migrate. An increasingly militant element has emerged in some local schools. Some terrorists increasingly are tied to the ideology rather than the group (its why we see so many mercenaries). These individuals are willing to support terrorist attacks that support their particular beliefs regardless of the affiliations to any specific organization.
The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) emerged in the early 1990’s. Initially organized to overthrow the Qadafi regime and install a sharia based government, the LIFG subsequently has embraced the global jihadist agenda. The LIFG itself calls upon Moslems inside and outside Libya to take part in what it terms the fight of Islam against its enemies. LIFG maintains a presence in Asia, Africa and Europe, primarily in the UK. In additions, LIFG has called on Moslems everywhere to fight against the U.S. in Iraq.
The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) is an extremist group based in Algeria created in 1996. It has been linked to a network of extremists in Western Europe. Some members favor a global Jihad and look to expand the group’s reach beyond its current area of focus.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) is a Pakistani based militant group seeking a pan Islamic state in South Asia. The group is calling for a worldwide Jihad. Since 9/11, the U.S. has been concerned about the reportedly large number of LET members in the U.S. and Canada.
Homegrown Terrorism
One of every seven terrorist attacks is carried out by a homegrown extremist.
The Dutch intelligence agency recently conducted a study that found certain Moslem youth groups in the Netherlands are not only receptive to radicalization but perceive violent jihad as positive and “cool”. Western countries in Europe have been struggling to integrate Moslem immigrant communities into the rest of society. The increasing use of the Internet allows Moslem youth to communicate with other Moslem worldwide. They see what is happening to fellow Moslems in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq and are angry and frustrated at what they consider to be western policies toward Moslems.
U.S. prisons and universities continue to be used as potential recruitment centers for Islamists. In addition, mosques have been used by Islamist groups to recruit new members. Prison systems throughout the world have been and continue to be breeding grounds for radicalism and facilities for the planning and training of radical activities.
In July 2005 law enforcement officials uncovered a California based homegrown Islamic terrorist cell, known as Jamiyyat el Islam is-Saheeh (JIS) This group was planning attacks against military facilities, religious institutions and other facilities in the United States.
Kevin James (aka Shakyh Shahaab Murshid) the founder of JIS, recruited fellow prison inmates to join JIS. The group preached it was the duty of members to target violent attacks on enemies of Islam, including the U.S. Government and Jewish and non-Jewish supporters of Israel. Upon release from prison, JIS members sought to establish cells of JIS members outside of prison who were willing to plot terrorist acts.
Sunni Extremist Groups in the United States:
Sunni extremist organizations have maintained a presence here for years. These groups use America’s openness to establish roots in our communities and focus on training, recruiting and fundraising. Since 9/11, 2001 Federal authorities have raided and shut down at least twenty-five charities contributing to terrorist activities. On October 13, 2004, U.S. treasury department designated the Islamic African Relief Agency (IARA), also known as the Islamic American Relief Agency, as a supporter of terrorism. The funds and assets of IARA belonged to a larger network with headquarters in the Sudan. In 2002 the U.S. authorities raided the Benevolence International Foundation (a purported nonprofit charitable trust based in Saudi Arabia. It was a front for al-Qaeda). The Government charged various people tied to the organization with trying to obtain chemical and nuclear weapons on behalf of al-Qaeda
It is widely known that almost every terrorist organization from Hamas to al-Qaeda has accessed America’s financial resources and institutions to their benefit. They have leveraged mosques and charities as front organization to support terrorist activities.
Terrorists also exploit various venues to raise funds and spread their message to a wider audience. For example, at the 1996 annual convention of the Islamic Association for Palestine in Chicago, Abdurahman al-Amoudi told the audience, “Once we are here, our mission in this country is to change it”.
Note: Abdurahman Al-Amoudi is a Moslem activist who founded the American Moslem Council. He pled guilty to financial and conspiracy charges in 2004. Until 1998 Al-Amoudi was involved with the selection of Moslem chaplains for the U.S. military (through the American Moslem Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, which he co-founded in 1991). Al-Amoudi also acted as a consultant to The Pentagon for over a decade. During that period he also served as an Islamic adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Conclusion
We remain a nation at war. The United States is not safe. Al-Qaeda has reached out to other Sunni extremist organization as well as homegrown terrorist cells to support local attacks against the United States. These groups continue to plan horrific attacks. Just because terrorists are not conducting attacks does not mean they are not recruiting, fundraising, training and planning. Our enemy seeks to inflict massive civilian casualties.
The terrorists are extremely adept at waging a war of ideas. Through the use of the Internet and other means, terrorists have had considerable success in spreading an anti-American message throughout the Moslem community. Terrorists utilize Internet websites to post comments and pictures that will incite their target audience: the younger Moslem populations. They are distorting the truth to recruit new supporters. Since 9/11 a number of jihadist cells have been identified within the U.S.
Experts take from: Report of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Peter Hoekstra, Chairman. Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamic Extremist Threat. June 2006: 109th Congress, 2d Session.
America’s intelligence agencies are in agreement that:
Al-Qaeda leaders and their affiliates remain committed to global jihad against the west.
Al-Qaeda leaders wait patiently for the right opportunity to attack.
Al-Qaeda has metastasized its scale of influence by reaching out to like-minded Islamist extremist groups and inspiring new groups
and individuals to emerge and carry out independent attacks.
The U.S. must be concerned about the threat of homegrown terrorism.
The Islamist extremist threat will continue to grow through the exploitation and use of the Internet.
Bin Laden said: "They [al-Qaeda] are in the final stages and you will see them in the heart of your land as soon as the planning is complete."
As long as al-Qaeda can spread its ideology to other groups the movement will continue to grow and threaten to change the way the Islamic world is governed.
Organizations like Jemaah Islamiya, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat have shown willingness to support al-Qaeda’s global operations. Al-Qaeda is looking to leverage support from affiliates to carry out attacks against the U.S. Al-Qaeda associated groups maintain a presence in dozens of countries worldwide, including the U.S.
The potential for America to face homegrown terrorism is real.
Al-Qaeda has called for a war against the U.S. and the West to remove their presence from Moslem territories as the first step to restoring the Moslem Caliphate.
Al-Qaeda understands the importance another attack on the United States would mean for its movement. The importance of such a strike cannot be overstated. For Islamist extremist groups, 9/11 was the ‘shot heard around the world’. Al-Qaeda looks to capitalize on the attack to further undermine and challenge western ideals and the United Stated position as a world power. Al-Qaeda uses these attacks in its propaganda to show disempowered and rudderless youth throughout the Middle East that they too can strike a powerful blow for the global jihad.
Recall that the first moderately successful al-Qaeda associated attack against the World Trade Center occurred in 1993. Rather than an immediate second attempt, al-Qaeda waited almost a decade before striking the U.S. homeland again.
An attack may simply be in the planning stage. Islamist extremist groups use terrorist attacks to propagate the organization’s ideology among its supporters. The Intelligence Community continues to be concerned about al-Qaeda’s efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Bin Laden said: “Acquiring weapons for the defenses of Moslems is a religious duty. If I have indeed acquired these weapons then I thank God for enabling me to do so. And if I seek to acquire these weapons I am carrying out a duty." There is a detailed public record of al-Qaeda’s interest in obtaining chemical and biological weapons.
Bin Laden preferred not to operate with banks that charged interest since usury is prohibited by the Quran. Al-Qaeda did however use banks that operate according to Islamic principles. The result was a layered system that kept the U.S. in the dark.
Al-Qaeda’s activities were supported largely through various fundraising efforts worldwide including contributions from mosques.
In his July 2005 letter to the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi (militant Islamist from Jordan who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan), Ayman al Zawahiri (leader of al-Qaeda) discussed al-Qaeda’s goals in Iraq, which he believed could be accomplished in four stages.
First: Expel the Americans from Iraq.
Second: Establish an Islamic authority, then develop it and support it until it achieves the level of a Caliphate over as much territory as you can to spread its power in Iraq.
Third: Extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighboring Iraq.
Fourth: Eliminate Israel and the possibility that an Israeli state would challenge any new Islamic entity.
If Islamist extremist groups are successful in preventing a legitimate government from flourishing in Iraq, the country could become a permanent base for al-Qaeda to recruit, train and conduct operations against non-Islamic governments in the region and eventually the U.S. It would be seen as a tremendous success for Islamist extremist groups and boost terrorist ability to recruit new members far beyond the current rate. Al-Zarqawi created a Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq to downplay al-Qaeda’s role in these attacks and put an Iraqi face on the insurgency. The war in Iraq became a major rally point and a fertile recruiting ground for al Qaeda.
Besides Zarqawi’s group, al-Qaeda benefits from the support it receives from foreign fighters who have traveled to Iraq to destabilize the region and prevent forces from spreading democratic values to Iraq and its neighbors. Foreign fighters use Iraq to gain battle experience before returning home to conduct terrorist attacks against governments and civilians.
Unlike the mujahideen who retuned home from Afghanistan in the 1980’s trained in rural guerilla warfare, the fighters who leave Iraq will have acquired first hand experience in urban warfare—including the use of improvised explosive devices. Upon returning home, they have the potential to use their knowledge, credibility and popularity to recruit and train younger generations to fight against the U.S.
These terrorist groups continue to present a considerable threat to coalition forces, Iraq’ s new government, and neighboring countries.
The Global terrorist network
Coalition success in the global war on terrorism has forced al-Qaeda’s core elements increasingly to reach out to other Sunni Islamist extremist groups for support. These other groups have focused their efforts against local targets, but there is growing evidence that these groups are more willing to work with al-Qaeda. This is especially true when working with al-Qaeda serves their own particular interests. Some of these groups have received training, weapons and funding from al-Qaeda. Others have received ideology.
Jemaah Islamiya (JI) is a southeast Asia based radical Islamist group that began violent attacks against regional targets in the 1990’s. JI’s stated goal is a pan Islamic state across much of the region. It has shown the willingness to inflict mass casualties against innocent civilians and those it believes to be allied with Western interests. It is responsible for recent attacks in Indonesia, including the Bali bombing in 2002 that killed 202 people and wounded some 300 others, the J.W. Marriott bombing in 2003, the 2004 bombing of the Australian Embassy and the second attack on Bali in 2005.
Depending on what takes place in Iraq, al-Qaeda members and other terrorist operative could migrate to Indonesia. As the world’s most populous Moslem country, Indonesia appears to be an obvious place to migrate. An increasingly militant element has emerged in some local schools. Some terrorists increasingly are tied to the ideology rather than the group (its why we see so many mercenaries). These individuals are willing to support terrorist attacks that support their particular beliefs regardless of the affiliations to any specific organization.
The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) emerged in the early 1990’s. Initially organized to overthrow the Qadafi regime and install a sharia based government, the LIFG subsequently has embraced the global jihadist agenda. The LIFG itself calls upon Moslems inside and outside Libya to take part in what it terms the fight of Islam against its enemies. LIFG maintains a presence in Asia, Africa and Europe, primarily in the UK. In additions, LIFG has called on Moslems everywhere to fight against the U.S. in Iraq.
The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) is an extremist group based in Algeria created in 1996. It has been linked to a network of extremists in Western Europe. Some members favor a global Jihad and look to expand the group’s reach beyond its current area of focus.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) is a Pakistani based militant group seeking a pan Islamic state in South Asia. The group is calling for a worldwide Jihad. Since 9/11, the U.S. has been concerned about the reportedly large number of LET members in the U.S. and Canada.
Homegrown Terrorism
One of every seven terrorist attacks is carried out by a homegrown extremist.
The Dutch intelligence agency recently conducted a study that found certain Moslem youth groups in the Netherlands are not only receptive to radicalization but perceive violent jihad as positive and “cool”. Western countries in Europe have been struggling to integrate Moslem immigrant communities into the rest of society. The increasing use of the Internet allows Moslem youth to communicate with other Moslem worldwide. They see what is happening to fellow Moslems in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq and are angry and frustrated at what they consider to be western policies toward Moslems.
U.S. prisons and universities continue to be used as potential recruitment centers for Islamists. In addition, mosques have been used by Islamist groups to recruit new members. Prison systems throughout the world have been and continue to be breeding grounds for radicalism and facilities for the planning and training of radical activities.
In July 2005 law enforcement officials uncovered a California based homegrown Islamic terrorist cell, known as Jamiyyat el Islam is-Saheeh (JIS) This group was planning attacks against military facilities, religious institutions and other facilities in the United States.
Kevin James (aka Shakyh Shahaab Murshid) the founder of JIS, recruited fellow prison inmates to join JIS. The group preached it was the duty of members to target violent attacks on enemies of Islam, including the U.S. Government and Jewish and non-Jewish supporters of Israel. Upon release from prison, JIS members sought to establish cells of JIS members outside of prison who were willing to plot terrorist acts.
Sunni Extremist Groups in the United States:
Sunni extremist organizations have maintained a presence here for years. These groups use America’s openness to establish roots in our communities and focus on training, recruiting and fundraising. Since 9/11, 2001 Federal authorities have raided and shut down at least twenty-five charities contributing to terrorist activities. On October 13, 2004, U.S. treasury department designated the Islamic African Relief Agency (IARA), also known as the Islamic American Relief Agency, as a supporter of terrorism. The funds and assets of IARA belonged to a larger network with headquarters in the Sudan. In 2002 the U.S. authorities raided the Benevolence International Foundation (a purported nonprofit charitable trust based in Saudi Arabia. It was a front for al-Qaeda). The Government charged various people tied to the organization with trying to obtain chemical and nuclear weapons on behalf of al-Qaeda
It is widely known that almost every terrorist organization from Hamas to al-Qaeda has accessed America’s financial resources and institutions to their benefit. They have leveraged mosques and charities as front organization to support terrorist activities.
Terrorists also exploit various venues to raise funds and spread their message to a wider audience. For example, at the 1996 annual convention of the Islamic Association for Palestine in Chicago, Abdurahman al-Amoudi told the audience, “Once we are here, our mission in this country is to change it”.
Note: Abdurahman Al-Amoudi is a Moslem activist who founded the American Moslem Council. He pled guilty to financial and conspiracy charges in 2004. Until 1998 Al-Amoudi was involved with the selection of Moslem chaplains for the U.S. military (through the American Moslem Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, which he co-founded in 1991). Al-Amoudi also acted as a consultant to The Pentagon for over a decade. During that period he also served as an Islamic adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Conclusion
We remain a nation at war. The United States is not safe. Al-Qaeda has reached out to other Sunni extremist organization as well as homegrown terrorist cells to support local attacks against the United States. These groups continue to plan horrific attacks. Just because terrorists are not conducting attacks does not mean they are not recruiting, fundraising, training and planning. Our enemy seeks to inflict massive civilian casualties.
The terrorists are extremely adept at waging a war of ideas. Through the use of the Internet and other means, terrorists have had considerable success in spreading an anti-American message throughout the Moslem community. Terrorists utilize Internet websites to post comments and pictures that will incite their target audience: the younger Moslem populations. They are distorting the truth to recruit new supporters. Since 9/11 a number of jihadist cells have been identified within the U.S.
Experts take from: Report of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Peter Hoekstra, Chairman. Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamic Extremist Threat. June 2006: 109th Congress, 2d Session.
Purchase Cheri's book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Read the INTRODUCTION to Cheri's book
Read the Jacket Back
Read the INTRODUCTION to Cheri's book
Read the Jacket Back