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| World Home » Terrorism » | Fri. May 16, 2008 |
| Terrorism |
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Stratfor says Qaeda leadership vulnerability has risen MIL/ANI, Jul 17, 2007. Washington, July 17, 2007 (Tuesday) - Leading US private security intelligence forecasting agency Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor) has claimed that the recently concluded military operation on the Lal Masjid in Islamabad has made the Al Qaeda leadership more vulnerable. Stratfor, which publishes regular analyses on major international issues for its clients, says that the post-Lal Masjid operation atmosphere represents a major security threat to the Al Qaeda’s apex leadership because of increasing conflict between the Pakistani establishment and religious extremists. According to the Dawn, the report claims that the fear of a strong retaliation by the Pakistani establishment forced al Qaeda’s No 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, to publicly urge religious extremists in Pakistan to fight their war in Afghanistan and not inside their own country. Analysing al-Zawahiri’s latest taped message, released last week, Stratfor notes that the tape “demonstrates an awareness of the threat to the al-Qaeda that lies ahead”. Al-Zawahiri is quoted as saying: “Muslims of Pakistan ... you must now back the mujahideen in Afghanistan with your persons, wealth, opinion and expertise, because the jihad in Afghanistan is the door to salvation for Afghanistan, Pakistan and the rest of the region. Die honourably in the fields of jihad.” Stratfor explains that the call to focus on Afghanistan makes sense given the strategic and tactical situation Al Qaeda faces. It claims that Al Qaeda has established its clandestine global headquarters had relocated to the area comprising the districts of Dir, Malakand and Swat. “Pakistan has thus far provided the leadership sanctuary, but at the cost of significantly diminishing Al Qaeda’s operational capability,” said Stratfor. The report also notes that despite the significant radical Islamist presence within Pakistan, the country poses significant structural impediments to Al Qaeda’s objectives. According to Stratfor, the Al Qaeda calculates that, given US problems in Iraq and the disarray among NATO member states, the United States eventually will force the West yet again to abandon Afghanistan. The mujahideen would then be able to use Afghanistan again for their purposes. (ANI)
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