Yet Another Al Qaeda Chief Killed In Pakistan Airstrike Raises Claims Of Terror Group’s Defeat
Guardian:
An al-Qaeda trainer and explosives specialist involved in a range of European terrorist networks has been killed in Pakistan, the latest senior militant to die in a spate of controversial American missile strikes.
The death two weeks ago of Abu Suleiman al-Jazairi, a highly experienced Algerian militant, has been confirmed only in the last few days, intelligence sources in Pakistan and Western Europe told The Observer. Al-Jazairi, thought to have been 45, died along with at least 15 others when the house in which he was staying in Pakistan’s Bajaur tribal district was hit by a missile fired from a Predator, an American pilotless drone.
Details are only now emerging about the strike on Damadola, a village near the Afghan-Pakistan border hit twice in the past. The house targeted and destroyed by the drone is believed to belong to a former Afghan Taliban defence minister, Maulvi Obaidullah, members of whose family, including women and children, are thought to have died. The surrounding area is in the hands of militants linked to the Pakistan Taliban militant group who have been blamed for the killing of Benazir Bhutto last year.
The death of al-Jazairi, thought to have been director of external operations for al-Qaeda and thus responsible for running the terrorist group’s European and British networks, was cited by CIA chief Michael Hayden last week as one of the reasons for the ’strategic defeat’ of al-Qaeda. Another top militant, Abu Laith al-Libi, was killed in February.
‘The ability to kill and capture key members of al-Qaeda continues, and keeps them off balance - even in their best safe haven along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border,’ Hayden said. Hayden added that al-Qaeda had been defeated in Saudi Arabia, was losing the battle for hearts and minds in the Islamic world and was now unable to exploit the Iraq war to draw in new recruits.
However, the CIA chief’s upbeat assessment contrasts with collective thinking in the intelligence community in America and elsewhere. Senior counter-terrorist officials in Europe, the Middle East and South Asia in recent weeks revealed profound concern about the potential use of weapons of mass destruction by militants and the continued attraction of the al-Qaeda ideology for second or third generation immigrants and converts in the West. Britain, with its close links to Pakistan, is in a particularly vulnerable position.
‘It is certain that mainstream hardcore al-Qaeda have suffered considerable setbacks - in Iraq certainly and elsewhere - but I think generally there is a lot more caution,’ said Nigel Inkster, recently retired deputy head of MI6. ‘It would only take a couple of attacks for the positive perception to radically change.’
Bruce Hoffman, terrorism expert at Georgetown University, said Hayden’s comments needed to be seen in the context of American domestic politics. ‘In an election year with a two term administration that is very sensitive to its historical record this is not unexpected,’ he told The Observer. ‘Al-Qaeda may not have had a successful attack in three years but it is too early to declare victory.’
Hoffman said that the danger this year was in fact high. ‘People do not join a terrorist group to sit on their hands and if [al-Qaeda] are going to retain their relevance it is now or never.’
Yet senior figures within American intelligence have also been struck by the failure of al-Qaeda to mobilise broad support in the Islamic world, and have begun to think more optimistically about the future. Security services have closely followed disputes and defections in recent months. Vicious feuding has led some analysts to conclude that the Islamic militant movement is turning in on itself with al-Qaeda leaders Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri increasingly isolated. Postings by al-Zawahiri in a question and answer session on the internet a month ago had a defensive tone, seeking to justify civilian casualties in militant attacks. The strategy is seen as a failure by many militants outside al-Qaeda and by some within the group.
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I suppose that Pres. Bush’s dogged determination to kill or capture terrorists had nothing to with this success! Despite constant condemnation from the DUMMYCRATS, Pres. Bush has been steadfast in protecting us from attacks on the home front. I would like to thank Pres. Bush for great job he has done in confronting our enemies at home and abroad!
June 1st, 2008 at 6:33 amThe strategic defeat of Al-Queda will occur when their mouth-pieces are dead and their minders in Saudi stop spreading their cult of death to the world.
Dropping JADAMs on the devil-worshipping AQ leadership is a good thing. How’s about going after the sources of AQ and like-minded jihadis…Saudi Arabia. Save a few JADAMs for the Kings of Saudi and their households…and for the printers that are passing out the manifestos of jihad…and the banks in Saudi that are funding the jihad.
Take them all out at the same time…and them we will have real progress. While we’re at it…drill our own oil…and tell the House of Saud to go f*ck off.
June 1st, 2008 at 6:42 amPakistan is slowly turning to radical islam and support of Al Queda. All the time Mushariff would not allow American military hits on Pakistani soil was just a cover for protecting Bin Laden and the Taleban. He was getting money from both sides. Now he is trying to leave Pakistan, hoping to get out with his skin intact. Bhutto, apparently, was never an American ally
June 1st, 2008 at 7:18 amA.Q., Pakistan, Taliban, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Afganistan. It is all the same freaking shit, even if they claim to “be on our side.” They are still Islamists and terrorists as far as I am concerned.
June 1st, 2008 at 8:37 pmKill the whole freaking lot.
Let God sort it out.
Death to A.Q., Taliban and all external and domestic enemies of the United Sates.
Islam sucks.
Mohammed was a pedaphile.
Hey Akbar and Habib who are monitoring this site; “Clear enough for you, you worthless piece of shit?”