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Al-Qaeda has masterminded most post-9/11 terrorism, Hizb-ut-Tahrir on the radar
Al Qaeda has masterminded most of the terrorist acts in the world since 9/11, said the speakers on Thursday at âGlobal terrorism assessment from Russia, China and Germanyâ, a seminar organised by the Area Study Centre for Russia, China and Central Asia at the University of Peshawar in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation Germany, Islamabad on Thursday.Mumtaz Gul, the Vice-chancellor of the University of Peshawar presided over the seminar, while speakers representing leading European nations, the Russian Federation and China also spoke on the occasion. Rolf Tophoven from the Institute of Terrorism Research and Security Policy Germany said that the Al Qaeda network operates in 60 countries. He said that there are 30,000 sympathisers of Osama, and at least 500 highly dangerous Al Qaeda activists in Germany. The German scholar said that the operations of the organisation are decentralised, and its members avoid communication with each other to avoid being identified. âI do not agree with the view that Pakistan has completely destroyed the Al Qaeda communication network,â he said âbut I take it as just political statement.â He stressed on a multidimensional strategy to deal with terrorism. âYou cannot destroy terrorists completely,â he said, âbut you can reduce them.â Alexander Nikitin, the President of the Russian Political Science Association and the Director of the Centre for Political and International Studies at MGIMO University Russia, identified three kinds of terrorism - traditional terrorism, revolutionary terrorism and religious-cum-political terrorism. The Russian scholar talked about the International legal instruments to fight terrorism, and the consequences of the anti-terrorism campaign on international relations. He also discussed Russiaâs role against terrorism in the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central Asia. Dr Mrs Fang Jinying, the Deputy Director of the Centre of Ethnic and Religious Studies China, said that the concept of security in China has changed since 2004. She discussed the threat to Chinese citizens working abroad, the foreigners working in China, and a potential security threat to the Beijing Olympics. She declared Hizbul Tahrir al-Islami the most significant terrorist organisation of the region. She said that the Chinese government is making efforts against terrorism at the local, regional and international level. She added that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was playing a significant role in combating terrorism in China, Russia and other Central Asian States. Dr James Dingley from the University of Ulster also provided a sociological explanation of terrorism. Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, the Director of the Area Study Centre for Russia, China and Central Asia at the University of Peshawar, talked about the academic activities of the centre. Dr. Andrei Reich, the representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, moderated the discussion and informed the participants of the activities of the foundation in sponsoring academic and intellectual activity in Pakistan. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-09-02 |
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