[iwar] [fc:Internet.sites.reveal.Al.Qaida.strategy.shift:.New.focus.is.support.for.Palestinians]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-06-12 05:50:16
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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 05:50:16 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [iwar] [fc:Internet.sites.reveal.Al.Qaida.strategy.shift:.New.focus.is.support.for.Palestinians]
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Geostrategy-Direct
June 18, 2002
 
Internet sites reveal Al Qaida strategy shift: New focus is support for Palestinians
 
    Al Qaida appears to have shifted its strategy away from the United
States and against Israel, a report said. 
    The shift in Al Qaida policy was first detected in April.  Al Qaida
members have made intensive use of the Internet and have launched
electronic journals in response to criticism by Egypt that Saudi
fugitive Osama Bin Laden has ignored the Palestinians. 
    A response by Ayman Hilali, Bin Laden's so-called official
interpreter, said the Saudi fugitive "serves the Palestinian issue by
attacking American interests, since Israel is one of America's allies in
the Muslim world, and there is no distinction between America and
Zionism," the report said.  The report added that Hilali criticized
Palestinian opposition groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad for
cooperating with the Palestinian Authority. 
    The report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said Al
Qaida, in the aftermath of its defeat in Afghanistan, appears to have
moved toward support of the Palestinians in their war against Israel. 
The shift marks a break in policy that stressed that the United States
is the key to any change in the Middle East and for a victory by the
Palestinians. 
    In the report, author Reuven Paz said Al Qaida has pledged to
increase support for the Palestinians.  The group, in statements on
various Islamic web sites termed Qaedat Al Jihad, said the suicide
bombing of the USS Cole would be the first of many against U.S.  and
Israeli targets in the Middle East.  The group also claimed
responsibility for the suicide attack on a Tunisian synagogue in which
19 people were killed. 
    "There are operations we took responsibility for, and others we
shall do so in the proper time," Al Qaida said in an announcement. 
    Paz, a leading Israeli researcher on Islamic insurgency groups, said
Al Qaida does not distinguish between Israeli and U.S.  targets.  He
cited statements published by Bin Laden that Americans will continue to
be targets until Palestinian demands are met. 
    In a break with previous policy, Al Qaida has also responded to the
Saudi peace proposal, the report said.  A Bin Laden supporter in Saudi
Arabia, Sheik Hamed Bin Ali, ruled that the kingdom's plan is invalid. 
    "The so-called peace agreements with the Jews are false, corrupted,
have no value in the nation of Islam, since they contradict the book of
Allah," the report quoted Bin Ali as saying.  "The Jews that kill
Muslims will have no remains.  Whoever gives them his hand for peace
while they react by shedding the blood of his Muslim brothers, is a
coward, an ignorant, has no value towards the brothers of monkeys and
pigs."
    In late March, a document attributed to Bin Laden called for a
revolt against Arab regimes and the killing of American nationals and
all Jews.  Bin Laden's call was for Muslims to shoot, stab and throw
stones at their enemies. 
    "This directive marked a more intensive use of the Internet by Al
Qaida and its followers to comment on recent developments in the Middle
East and Afghanistan," the report said. 
    An April 9 announcement by Qaedat Al Jihad assures Muslims that Bin
Laden is safe and healthy.  The announcement said Bin Laden is planning
the next stage of his holy war. 
    "We wish to tell our Muslim nation that with the blessings of Allah
we are preparing for a Jihadi plan to meet the circumstances of the
present stage," Palestinian Sheik Abu Muhammad Maqdisi said. 
    Paz said Al Qaida has regained confidence over the last few weeks as
it spreads anti-American messages via the Internet.  The report said
this appears to be the result of the growing influence of Saudi clerics. 
    "Indeed, there has been a prominent shift among these scholars
toward justification of a global jihad against the United States -
citing the U.S.  presence in Saudi Arabia, the campaign in Afghanistan,
and America's support for and alliance with Israel - which has brought
no real reaction from the Saudi government," the report said. 
 
   Many Al Qaida relocating in North Africa;
 Algeria may become new base
 
    Al Qaida has moved into several African nations and is considering
making Algeria its new base of operations. 
    Algerian security sources said Al Qaida has moved into such
countries as Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria.  [See
Backgrounder: Al Qaida, Taliban order fighters to leave Pakistan].  The
sources said the Islamic insurgency movement has spent large amounts of
cash in buying weapons and influence in these countries. 
    The London-based Al Hayat daily reported that a leading Al Qaida
operative entered Algeria earlier this year and attempted to bolster the
Islamic insurgency against the regime in Algiers.  The newspaper quoted
Algerian security sources as saying the operative - who had been based
in the Persian Gulf - distributed a large amount of cash and urged the
insurgents to merge into one command. 
    Currently, the Islamic insurgency against Algiers is being waged by
two groups, the Armed Islamic Group and the Salafist Group for Preaching
and Combat.  The latter group is said to have been recruiting in Europe
for fighters. 
    Over the weekend of June 8-9, nine Algerians were killed in attacks
in central and western Algeria.  Four of those killed were identified as
Islamic militants.  In Algiers, one person was killed and another was
injured by a bomb blast blamed on Islamic militants. 
    The Al Qaida funds distributed to the Algerian militants were said
to have been used to buy weapons from the African black market.  The
weapons were then smuggled into Algeria. 
    Al Hayat quoted the Algerian security sources as saying that Al
Qaida has bought weapons in Chad.  Followers of Saudi fugitive Osama Bin
Laden were also said to have stolen weapons in Mauritania. 
    The Algerian security sources said Al Qaida intends to resettle its
agents in sub-Saharan Africa.  But the movement is deliberating whether
to relocate its leadership to Algeria. 


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