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| Afghanistan |
| UK troops told to stop al-Qaeda's drug funds |
| 2006-02-26 |
| Opium from the region of southern Afghanistan where thousands of British soldiers are being deployed is helping to finance al-Qaeda operations, senior army officers believe. Hundreds more troops are due to arrive in Helmand province this week. Disrupting al-Qaeda's funding stream from the poppy fields has emerged as a previously secret aim of the deployment. Senior officers have confirmed briefings by the security services and Ministry of Defence officials on Helmand's role in the 'international terror network'. The commander of the British Army in Afghanistan, Colonel Stephen Padgett, said the deployment would help protect Britain from terrorists: 'There is an international terrorism issue. Al-Qaeda benefits from the narcotics trade that goes on. 'By targeting the high-level narcotics trade it will have an impact on terrorism; by making it difficult for them to make money it will benefit Britain.' Afghan officials said Taliban and al-Qaeda supporters had regrouped in the south of the country and were tapping into its huge opium fields for funding. Latest figures estimate the heroin trade in Helmand is worth £650 million a year. The officer in charge of preparing Britain's deployment in Helmand, Colonel Gordon Messenger, confirmed he had received intelligence briefings linking drug money and terrorism. He described the issue as a 'festering' concern. In Kabul, British diplomats said sending 3,300 British troops would help curb al-Qaeda's free reign in the province, roughly the size of Wales. The head of the Afghan National Army, General Ghul Agha Naibi, said al-Qaeda and the Taliban had a 'significant' presence in Helmand and neighbouring Kandahar. 'Al-Qaeda is trying everything it can to brutalise the southern areas.' Four years after British forces were deployed in Afghanistan, attacks by a resurgent Taliban and al-Qaeda are increasing. Army officers have expressed concern that insurgents will be reinforced by foreign fighters from Pakistan and Iran arriving over Helmand's border with Pakistan. Messenger said the 'porous' boundary was unlikely ever to be brought under control. There were fears that insurgents in Helmand would adopt the tactics used in Iraq, particularly bomb attacks on British convoys. British soldiers based in Kabul have told The Observer of their concern over the Helmand deployment. One said: 'They have become increasingly sophisticated at vehicle explosives. Before you know it they're right on top of you. We expect to lose some lads down there.' |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |