Article

2019-09-12 Terror Networks

IntelBrief: 18 Years After the 9/11 Attacks, What is the Current State of Al-Qaeda?

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Posted by newc 2019-09-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 It doesn't matter how they call themselves.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2019-09-12 00:38|| 2019-09-12 00:38|| Front Page Top

#2 Doesn't seem to have had much effect because the west has not been killing those funding koranic literalism.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2019-09-12 04:21|| 2019-09-12 04:21|| Front Page Top

#3 Does not compute. Either their information is wonky or the Soufan center is a questionable source.

Over 120,000 qaeda are distributed over Pakistain, Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, India and Iran. At least 4000 are middling and coordinator ranks. The highest ranks, wannabe emirs, notably called Bin Ladenites by certain idiots who coined the term Bin ladenism, are individuals with red corner notices and wanted 'dead or alive' in most nations.

The real work is done by the middlemen, those with valid passports and relatives or sympathizers in the respective LEOs of the region they operate in.

I think some people may want to drive home the idea that the Al-qaeda is defeated, even Hamza is dead, and the revenge of 9/11 is more or less complete.

In reality, islamic organizations like AQ evolve, splinter, regroup and reorganize almost every week. The decentralized guerilla warfare theme of jihad allows the individuals in the global army to swarm in places it sees convenient. Places that are not attended to by security agencies for long, for corruption or liberal mores or whatever. Places that offer lower structuring costs, lower risks and high connectivity via road, communications etc. Port cities are a plus. Allows movement of major equipment. Black or muslim mayors are a plus, allowing legal protection and support.

Real intel.

Al-Qaeda is known to be the one branch of jihad that was run from the top according to Harvard business checklists, with real MBAs and commerce graduates in the hierarchy managing legal to laundering departments. It gives the impression of being a rag head militia but has rapidly evolved during the rise of the ISIS into a more subtle lawfaring and kingmaking ally for islamist factions in smaller countries, milking them for funds and recruiting unemployed hooligans while helping construct schools and masjids. You will not find a single link tying muslim TV preachers and imams to AQ, or liberal professors, school teachers and actors who advocate freedom of religion to the middle managers of AQ, but if you follow donations to educational foundations, research groups, think tanks; investments and partnerships in the movie and TV business - if you follow the money things become more apparent.

The Ansar al Sharia in Yemen, set up under Nasser Wuhayshi as an aid group is Al-Qaeda. Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr was the AQ leader for Somalia, thankfully vaporized by a drone in 2014. 4000 fighters from that faction joined up with a splinter of Al shabaab to form the Sharia Army of Soomali Liberation. Then there's the Al Nusra Front in Syria, which lost 17,000 fighters from 2014 till date, but is still recruiting and putting out videos of world domination from their shithole. They still boast 15,000-20,000 fighters recruited from all over the world, as far as Chinese Uighurs. As I've said before, the taliban are primarily a mercenary outfit and work for the AQ when called upon, protecting their preachers, offing rivals and moderates or officials, but never directly deal with AQ. The Pak ISI serves as agents for this. Apart from that, the Laskar e jhangvi, Harkat ul Mujaheddin and a half dozen other sasquatch groups are all AQ. They change names everyday to help their protectors and facilitators avoid sanctions and freezes. Since Imran Khan, they seem to have donned a garb of sainthood for a while, distributing blankets, paying for tuitions of orphans etc.

In 2016, we had the lamentable opportunity to sift through the evidence pouring in from all corners. In India, the AQSIS is still a threat and their connections and finances heavily documented and tracked. We found that almost all casualties to the AQ after their massive defeat in 2007, have come from the American SOG teams, with no help from host nations actually despite interference from them and the UN. A few actions by 'Potty Mouth' Duterte in the Philippines and the Chink crackdown on the Uighurs, besides our own raids into POK and the everyday shit in Kashmir, but that's all.

The AQ is very much alive and kicking. Their influence has not reduced, it has in fact diversified to stay relevant. The low profile right now is to help Pakistain recover from the FATF blacklist and the US disappointment in them as a ~~$$ sinkhole~~ 'viable ally in the WOT'.

Posted by Dron66046 2019-09-12 05:34|| 2019-09-12 05:34|| Front Page Top

#4 Several names from the above listed groups have changed now to other names that require an equal amount of frothing and gurgling.

Posted by Dron66046 2019-09-12 05:41|| 2019-09-12 05:41|| Front Page Top

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