News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page

NewsMinewar-on-terroralqaeda — Viewing Item


Iraq war boosted alqaeda { May 20 2003 }

Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
   http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1052251607640&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1052251607640&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

May. 20, 2003. 06:16 AM
Iraq war helped boost Al Qaeda
Allowed network to recruit: Experts
Saudi envoy warns of more attacks

LONDON - The U.S.-led war on Iraq gave Al Qaeda the opportunity to reinvigorate its weakened terrorist network with new recruits and more funding, say experts on terrorism.

The Iraq war "clearly increased the terrorist impulse," said Jonathan Stevenson, senior fellow for counter-terrorism at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The U.S.-led invasion, at least in the short term, drew more people toward Osama bin Laden's vision of a global clash between Islam and the West, Stevenson said yesterday.

It partly explains the series of co-ordinated, multiple attacks last Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where 34 people died, and on Friday in Casablanca, Morocco, where 41 people, including 13 attackers, were killed by five bomb blasts.

Stevenson believes U.S. President George W. Bush's administration knew full well the war would initially increase support for Al Qaeda. But U.S. officials estimated the long-term impact of setting up a democratic government in Iraq would outweigh the short-term pain of more terror attacks, he said.

Other experts, however, believe that the U.S., and those European countries that supported the war, badly miscalculated.

"The political masters in the U.S. and Europe underestimated the extent to which bin Laden would use the war in Iraq as a propaganda weapon to rejuvenate the movement and attract more funds," said Paul Wilkinson, head of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at St. Andrew's University in Scotland.

"As far as the war against Al Qaeda goes, it possibly has been counterproductive. We face turbulent times ahead," Wilkinson told Sky TV.

U.S. officials partly tried to justify the Iraq war by insisting there were links between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's ousted regime — an assertion most experts continue to believe is unsubstantiated.

By linking the Iraq war with the war on terror, Bush has left himself vulnerable to Americans concluding the invasion was a failure if terrorist attacks continue, said Andrew Garfield, director of the International Centre for Security Analysis at King's College in London.

Garfield believes Al Qaeda continues to plan "something big" in the way of an attack in Europe or North America. But police crackdowns and increased security co-operation across borders have foiled attempts to carry out such plans since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, told reporters in Riyadh yesterday: "There is chatter, a high level of chatter regionally and in other international spots" that something could happen in Saudi Arabia or the United States.

Al Qaeda was always a loose collection of local terrorist groups. But the loss of its training camps and bases in Afghanistan after the U.S.-led war there, as well as the arrests of several top lieutenants, have forced the terrorist network to become even more decentralized, Stevenson said in an interview.

"So while the Al Qaeda leadership has been weakened, the network as a whole has become more elusive than before," he said, adding that responsibility for planning and carrying out attacks rests more than ever with local groups.

Prevented from attacking Western countries, Al Qaeda- linked groups are turning their attention on "soft" targets in countries where they have some popular support, and where security is weak, such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

But Morocco said yesterday no connection had yet been established between Al Qaeda and last week's Casablanca attacks.

Stevenson believes Al Qaeda-linked groups will further focus future operations in the Persian Gulf region because of the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

And Garfield argued the more "preventive wars" the U.S. launches, the more Muslims will feel Al Qaeda is the only choice.

Garfield said this strategy has been used successfully by groups such as Hamas during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The more Israel fights against Hamas suicide bombers by clamping down on the occupied Palestinian territories, the more ordinary Palestinians believe violence is the only alternative.

That means the U.S. must seriously work to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which fuels Arab anger throughout the Middle East and help alleviate poverty, he said.

FROM STAR STAFF



american-alqaeda-video
bl-sons
chinese-boston-threat
cia-bomb-maker
dutch-alqaeda
egypt-nov-2004
khan
kidnappings
prince-charles
trumped-up-terror-charges
15 pakistani troops die in alqaida hunt { March 23 2004 }
16 alqaeda spain { January 24 2003 }
Administration feed terror suspect
Al qaeda detainee spoke of fire plot
Algiers suicide bombers were jailed { December 14 2007 }
Alqaeda 18000 potential at large { May 25 2004 }
Alqaeda algerians in uk { September 14 2003 }
Alqaeda arrest tips effective { March 3 2003 }
Alqaeda arrests { February 4 2003 }
Alqaeda enemy in america
Alqaeda fighters denies being killed on web { September 15 2005 }
Alqaeda fires rockets from jordan hits israel
Alqaeda group may not exist
Alqaeda hobbled by arrest { March 3 2003 }
Alqaeda just bush boogeyman { January 11 2005 }
Alqaeda leader in iraq killed again
Alqaeda myth blown out of proportion { May 23 2002 }
Alqaeda number 2 cites failed pakistan airstrike { January 30 2006 }
Alqaeda opeartive has australian accent { August 10 2005 }
Alqaeda plans oil fields { March 11 2003 }
Alqaeda plot foiled in germany { December 3 2004 }
Alqaeda searches russia
Alqaeda seeks to expand operations { April 20 2007 }
Alqaeda singapore plot
Alqaeda suspect knows saudi prince phone number
Alqaeda tape urges western attacks { May 21 2003 }
Alqaeda targets russell crowe
Alqaeda threat norway doesnt make sense { May 21 2003 }
Alqaeda threatens france for headscarf ban
Alqaeda to help wage sectarian iraq war { February 9 2004 }
Alqaeda video trainig shooting kids { March 9 2003 }
Alqaeda web posts threats { December 8 2002 }
Alqaida accused US of faking alqaeda letter { October 14 2005 }
Alqaida crippled says mossad
Alqaida funded by 12 { October 20 2002 }
Alqaida is 70 percent gone says state department { January 23 2004 }
Alqaida possessed tactical nuclear weapons
Alqaida strike again { October 17 2002 }
Alqeada starts forest fires says fbi
Alzarqawi reportly arrested in iraq
American soldier gave alqaeda information { February 12 2004 }
American voice on new terror video { October 29 2004 }
Assad doubts existance al qaeda
Authorities close muslim school in germany
Bin laden deputy claims US on brink of defeat
Binladen top deputy zawahri sends videotape
Bombing in algeria claimed by new alqaeda branch
Bombings may spur antiterror unity { May 19 2003 }
Briefing depicted saudis as enemies backing terrorism { August 6 2002 }
Britain charges 8 in alqaeda plot { August 18 2004 }
Britain says 1600 british born alqaeda terrorists { November 10 2006 }
Britain sheltering al qaeda leader { July 8 2002 }
British connection alqaida revolving door { February 14 2002 }
British thwart hijacking terror attacks
Bush policies directly funding alqaeda { January 2007 }
Captured alqaeda kingpin is mistaken identity { May 8 2005 }
Cia paid pakistan bounty for alqaida suspects { September 26 2006 }
Cia says iraq recruiting tool for islamic extremists { February 17 2005 }
Citizen convincted alqaeda assassination plot
Colombia busts hamas alqaeda false passport ring
Confusion persists over iraq alqaeda leaders identity { May 10 2008 }
Convincted drug dealer praised in terror plot role { June 4 2007 }
Counterterror analyst says alqaeda at pre911 strength { July 12 2007 }
Dirty bomb
Disinformation alqaeda
Europeans training terrorists in iraq
Experts doubt validity on jfk airport plot { June 5 2007 }
Fbi alert for sleeper cell
Fitandwell un { August 29 2002 }
Fort bragg sergeant aided bilnladen followers { May 20 1999 }
France ricin found
German police raid mosque for islamic extremist videos
Group kidnaps toy soldier in iraq { February 2 2005 }
Group recruits muslims { December 4 2005 }
Gunman attack consulate in saudi arabia { December 6 2004 }
Indonesian islamic groups controlled by intelligence { October 16 2005 }
Intel says alqaeda strong based pakistan border { July 17 2007 }
Iran accuses us not serious { May 28 2003 }
Iraq new terror breeding ground war created haven { January 14 2005 }
Iraq replaces afghanistan as top terror training spot { January 14 2005 }
Iraq terrorists radicalized by occupation of iraq { July 17 2005 }
Iraq war boosted alqaeda { May 20 2003 }
Jet misses hawaii skyrise
Jordanians doubt zarqawi is even alive { November 12 2005 }
Lax shooting
Lebanon alqaeda
Losing africa afghanistan { November 8 2002 }
Malaysia alqaida
Mastermind of madrid { July 29 2004 }
Memo details alqaeda saddam cooperation { November 24 2003 }
MI5 let alqaida in britain
Middle class muslims recuited in british universities { July 10 2005 }
Militants rigged koran with explosives { November 12 2003 }
Military manual advocates employing terrorists { June 15 2008 }
Musharraf says alqaeda not headquartered in pakistan { July 26 2005 }
Mystery shrouds alqaeda escape in yemen
New alqaeda tape reveals video process { January 31 2006 }
New alqaeda treath from southeast asia division { November 30 2005 }
New york bomb plot overblown { July 10 2006 }
New york terror case based on unscrupulous informant { January 9 2007 }
NY police creates terrorism to solve { January 9 2007 }
Officials see signs revived alqaeda { May 17 2003 }
Osama deputy letter says iraq to be islamic
Osama plot kill bush
Pakistan army closes in on alqaeda
Pakistan arrests nations most wanted alqaida militant { May 4 2005 }
Pakistan religious schools in spotlight { July 25 2005 }
Pakistan remains terror hub with US effort { July 25 2005 }
Pakistani army kills al qaeda suspects { October 3 2003 }
Pentagon unit mission to manipulate alqaeda { August 13 2005 }
Pope comments ignite alqaeda response of doom
Ptech terror link { December 7 2002 }
Ptech terror navy fbi
Qaeda sympathisers use rap to recruit { September 11 2001 }
Reid blames zionists { October 3 2002 }
Report says iraq war strenghening alqaeda { July 17 2007 }
Saudi alqaeda chief was saudi police { June 21 2004 }
Saudi amensty program nets alqaeda leaders { July 14 2004 }
Saudi sheik allows bin laden to nuke americans
Shooting at la airport terrorism { April 12 2003 }
Sleeper cells
Soldiers mutilated over iraqi woman rape incident
Spain arrests more alqaeda { September 18 2003 }
Suicide bomber comes from US secret detentions { July 25 2007 }
Suspect says mi5 can clear his name { October 22 2001 }
Suspected alqaeda agents seen everywhere { May 28 2004 }
Syrian leader doubts al qaidas existance { May 26 2003 }
Tape with terror threat is broadcast { October 29 2004 }
Terror suspect paints alqaeda picture in plea bargain
Terrorist factory running at guantanamo bay { June 17 2008 }
The rise of suicide bombing around the world { July 17 2005 }
Top alqaeda expert top candidate for mi5 boss { December 17 2006 }
Top alqaida lieutenants escaped before testifying { November 1 2005 }
Trinidad group denies link to NYC plot { May 2007 }
Truck driver pleads guilty alqaeda plot { June 20 2003 }
Tunisian soccer player convincted alqaida trial
Turkish alqaida group claims responsbiliity for istanbul attacks
Uk says alqaeda making dirty bomb { January 31 2003 }
US allows saudis to finance alqaeda { July 26 2007 }
Us and uk trade terrorism like commodity { September 25 2005 }
Us intelligence says alqaeda ineffecitve
US missile parts at alqaeda target site
US picks new iraq alqaeda leader from jail { July 6 2006 }
US says alqaeda near defeat { May 30 2008 }
US says mossad agent is american alqaeda leader
Us soldier charged in alqaeda sting
War spread terrorism { June 16 2002 }
White man with bomb at capitol gets little attention { April 30 2008 }
White supremacy leader supports alqaeda { March 29 2005 }
World wide hunt 4 alleged members
Yemeni cleric sentenced to terror conspiracy { July 29 2005 }
Zarqawi boogie man may not exist { July 5 2005 }
Zarqawi linked to alqaeda and nothern kurds and saddam { October 9 2004 }

Files Listed: 153



Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security
Archives
Support one-state solution for Israel and Palestine Tea Party bumper stickers JFK for Dummies, The Assassination made simple