© EYE SPY INTELLIGENCE MAGAZINE 2007
AL-QAIDA’S GLOBAL NETWORK
24 December 1979
Russia invades Afghanistan
-June
1988
Osama bin-Laden creates Al-Qaida or ‘The Base’ in Afghanistan
A UK minister recently told an audience that using the phrase ‘war on terror’ results only in a “coming together” of groups. Her remarks were discounted by security officials. A quick look therefore at the number of countries battling the terror group and a startling reminder that al-Qaida poses a danger to all people - irrespective of colour, race, religion or creed....
CANADA: 2006 - Foiled plot to storm parliament building in Ottawa and behead officials. Fifteen members of sleeper arrested in Toronto district. CSIS surveilling numerous suspected sleeper cells in country - especially in neighbouring Montreal and Quebec. Groups have ties to USA, Europe and Pakistan
USA: 2001 - Thousands of civilians and military personnel killed in al-Qaida attacks on New York and Washington. Foiled bomb attacks on New York transit system, finance area and skyscrapers. Intel suggests attack imminent. Sleeper cell (seven operatives) arrested in 2006. Ties with al-Qaida in UK strong. Sleeper cells and operatives under surveillance in Queens, New York City
UK: 30 sleeper cells - 2,000+ operatives. 7/7 bomb attacks on London successful. Foiled attacks - 21/7 transit bombs; trans-Atlantic aeroplane plot; shopping centre bombing; city-wide dirty bomb attacks; kidnap and beheading plot; ricin plot; transEnglish Channel train plot. Group undertaking surveillance on energy facilities, ports, finance areas, transit points across country. Over 100 suspects awaiting trial in the UK on various terrorist-related charges. Suspected computer attack imminent
ITALY: Security services surveilling several suspected terrorist cells. In 2004, charges were dropped against a group of men who allegedly tried to poison Rome’s water supply
RUSSIA: Al-Qaida attacks expected at any time. Recent terror operations include downing of two airliners in August 2004 killing hundreds of civilians; Beslan school atrocity in September 2004 left hundreds dead - many of them children; Moscow theatre siege in 2002 saw 118 civilians die
BOSNIA/KOSOVO: AlQaida presence increasing. European security services monitoring several suspected terrorist cells
USA: 2002 plot to attack Chicago uncovered. Sleeper cells now operating in city
CHECHYNA: Al-Qaida support is strong. Local groups target Russian interests. Liaison with European networks increasing CHINA: Al-Qaida targeting many local groups
SYRIA: Al-Qaida franchises active in country. Liaison with groups in Iraq - prolific
TURKEY: 2003 - Synagogue attack leaves 23 dead. Attacks by al-Qaida increasing. Security services monitoring terror suspects in several cities
2007
to gather support. Incidents often go unreported. Security services acknowledge terror group is gaining notoriety in some regions
26
February
1993
World Trade Center attacked
4
FRANCE/BELGIUM/HOLLAND/ GERMANY: Numerous al-Qaida sleeper cells operating in these countries. Wider ties to UK groups known. Several arrests in last two years. Plots against USA and UK interests known
October
1993
Black Hawk helicopter shot down in Somalia
----
1995
Taliban or ‘Students’ dominant in Afghanistan by 1995
7
August
1998
US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania bombed
12
October
2000
USS Cole attacked off Yemen Osama bin-Laden’s hideout discovered. White House refuses to order strike
11 September 2001
World Trade Center destroyed, Pentagon attacked
23
December
2001
Richard Reid tries to blow up Miami-bound plane with shoe bomb
12 October
2002
Bali nightclub bomb leaves 202 dead
1
March
2003
Al-Qaida No.3 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed captured
42
USA: Seattle - suspected al-Qaida sleeper cell under surveillance
USA: Oregon USA - al-Qaida plans to construct terror training camp disrupted USA: Sleeper cells under surveillance in Los Angeles. AlQaida tried to blow up LAX airport in 2000 - the ‘Millennium plot’. Military ports in area known to have been surveilled by al-Qaida
9 Febraury
2004
CIA discovers al-Qaida battle plan for Iraq
11
March
2004
Several trains travelling towards Madrid blown up 191 fatalities
7 July
2005
Al-Qaida strikes in London over 50 people dead
21 July
2005
Five terror suspects try to repeat London outrage bombs fail to detonate
ALGERIA: April 2007 Parliament bomb in Algiers kills 33 people. Several terror groups aligned to al-Qaida
VENEZUELA: Country now has alQaida presence - intelligence suggests operatives liaising with sleeper cells in USA and Middle East
2006
Zacarias Moussaoui jailed for his involvement in 9/11
NIGERIA: Al-Qaida sees country as the ‘new Afghanistan’ - sleeper cells already present
8
June
2006
NIGER: Army attacks al-Qaida camp in 2004 but terror group is still active in country
Infamous killer and al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq - Al-Zarqawi is killed in an air attack
2006
28 April
CIA announce capture last year of Abdul Hadi al-Iraqi al-Qaida’s No.3 terrorist
E Y E
S P Y
I S S U E
4 8,
2 0 0 7
PAKISTAN: Al-Qaida well organised in country despite efforts to dismantle group. Commanders here oversee many attacks
INDIA: 11 July 2006 - Al-Qaida detonates several bombs on a train en-route to Pakistan - 200 people die. Train attacks are common in country. Security forces are surveilling numerous groups supportive of al-Qaida
PHILIPPINES: 2002 - Al-Qaida kills US servicemen. Sleeper cells and planners active in country
MALAYSIA: Al-Qaida planners and sleeper cells under surveillance
AUSTRALIA: Security services monitoring several people with suspected ties to al-Qaida. AlQaida has promised to attack Australia over its support for the US and UK in Iraq
YEMEN: 2000 - Al-Qaida bombs USS Cole - 17 deaths. May 2002 - senior al-Qaida leader killed by a Predator rocket strike. Terror group highly active in country
SOMALIA: Al-Qaida responsible for dozens of attacks and acts of piracy. In 1993, group loyal to Osama bin-Laden shoots down US Black Hawk helicopter killing 18 servicemen. In January 2007 terror training camps destroyed by UK and US Special Forces KENYA: 2002 - Al-Qaida kill 15 civilians in hotel blast in Mombasa, Kenya - also targeted is an ElAl airliner - rocket missed. Al-Qaida has several operatives in country. Liaison with group in Somalia and North Africa strong JORDAN: November 2005 - Al-Qaida carries out triple bombing. Hotels Grand Hyatt, Radisson and Days Inn in Jordan’s capital Amman attacked. 56 people killed
E Y E
THAILAND: Al-Qaida operatives under surveillance
SAUDI ARABIA: April 2007 - 175 al-Qaida suspects operating in seven sleeper cells arrested. Suspects allegedly planned to hijack airliners to attack oil refineries both in the country and overseas. In 2004 24 people shot dead in attack on Western housing complex. New raids bring number of terrorist suspects arrested in the kingdom since 2005 to over 500
SUDAN: Al-Qaida has a huge presence in Sudan and is responsible for numerous attacks on civilian and government targeted. Its operatives regularly venture into other countries to carry out attacks.
2007
IRAQ: Al-Qaida responsible for hundreds of attacks each year since invasion
SOUTH AFRICA: Al-Qaida sleeper cells under surveillance. Intelligence suggests UK and USA interests are primary target
MI5 thwarts UK-USA airline plot - 20 people arrested
IRAN: AlQaida in Iraq receiving weapons and training from regime
TUNISIA: 2002 - Al-Qaida destroys synagogue killing 30 people. Country battling with many franchises. Liaison with terror cells in Europe increasing
11 August
AFGHANISTAN: Al-Qaida presence in country increasing due to foreign fighters. Hundreds of al-Qaida groups operational. NATO has major force tackling terror group and Taliban. Osama bin-Laden still in hiding between Afghanistan and Pakistan
LIBYA: Al-Qaida has presence in outlying areas of country - franchise groups known to be targeting Colonel Gadaffi - Libyan leader
6 May
MOROCCO: 2002 - Al-Qaida operatives plot to attack shipping in the Straights of Gibraltar. 2003 bomb kills 43 civilians in resort. Sleeper cells liaison with groups in Europe and North Africa - prolific
MEXICO: Intelligence reveals country being targeted as ‘channel’ to infiltrate USA
USA: April 2007 - Ohio man arrested for plotting attacks in USA and Europe. State is monitoring suspected al-Qaida sleeper cells
SPAIN: Following success of 2004 Madrid train bombings, nearly 200 suspects arrested court proceedings currently in progress. AlQaida cells fully operational in parts of the country - ties with North African terror cells
USA: Suspected sleeper cells under surveillance in Detroit
USA: 2006 - arrests in Miami follow plot to blow-up Sears Tower in Chicago
S P Y
I S S U E
4 8,
2 0 0 7
INDONESIA: 12 October 2002 alQaida struck on the island of Bali killing 200 people. Attacks in country on-going - aimed predominantly at civilian tourists
ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION 43