Sunday, May 08, 2005
Consequences of an Al-Qaeda bust
The military and the intelligence service of Pakistan have been neck deep in Islamic militancy. These groups armed the Taliban to create a puppet regime in Afganistan, as well they have had connections to Al-Qaeda. This has been glossed over until now, when a major Al-Qaeda operative with strong ties to the Pakistani military has been captured.
Jax
With the capture in Pakistan of Libyan Abu Faraj al-Libbi of al-Qaeda, wanted in connection with two assassination attempts against President General Pervez Musharraf in 2003, Pakistani authorities are stepping up investigations into al-Qaeda's investment in the Pakistan army.
Information gleaned from well-connected military analysts suggests that army officials connected with the Afghan cell during the Taliban period in Afghanistan (1996-2001) are likely to be in the firing line. Action is expected soon against several serving and retired army personnel.
Abu Faraj is expected to be handed over to the US soon and is likely to be kept in a US detention center in Jordan or Morocco. Abu Faraj was deeply connected with al-Qaeda's North African cells before becoming involved in Pakistan a few years ago. The North African cells are al-Qaeda's most preserved, and are believed to be key to any future strikes on the US.
Abu Faraj was a trainer at al-Farooq camp in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. He trained hundreds of Pakistani men to be sent to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops. His training skills in not only explosives but also in urban guerrilla warfare saw him rise in prominence and he became popular among the trainees as well as with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence's (ISI's) Afghan cell, which preferred al-Farooq camp ahead of any other al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.
Abu Faraj's interaction with Pakistanis, whether they were private militants or military men, was deep and is characterized by the fact that he was good at Pakistan's national language, Urdu, which is spoken in urban centers, in addition to Pashtu. His choice in marriage was a Pakistani woman.
Abu Faraj had been used as a facilitator between al-Qaeda's cells in North Africa and their support system in the United Kingdom. His first field operation was the assignment to kill Musharraf, which was delegated to him because of his proven abilities and his connections among Pakistani jihadis and members of the armed forces, some of whom participated in the two attempts on Musharraf's life. The duty was assigned by Osama bin Laden's deputy, Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Al-Qaeda had invested in Pakistan well before the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, anticipating the consequences of the September 11 attack, that is, that they would be driven out of Afghanistan. It was that goodwill among military men and jihadis that Abu Faraj tapped into to carry out his attacks on Musharraf. (Link)
Jax
With the capture in Pakistan of Libyan Abu Faraj al-Libbi of al-Qaeda, wanted in connection with two assassination attempts against President General Pervez Musharraf in 2003, Pakistani authorities are stepping up investigations into al-Qaeda's investment in the Pakistan army.
Information gleaned from well-connected military analysts suggests that army officials connected with the Afghan cell during the Taliban period in Afghanistan (1996-2001) are likely to be in the firing line. Action is expected soon against several serving and retired army personnel.
Abu Faraj is expected to be handed over to the US soon and is likely to be kept in a US detention center in Jordan or Morocco. Abu Faraj was deeply connected with al-Qaeda's North African cells before becoming involved in Pakistan a few years ago. The North African cells are al-Qaeda's most preserved, and are believed to be key to any future strikes on the US.
Abu Faraj was a trainer at al-Farooq camp in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. He trained hundreds of Pakistani men to be sent to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops. His training skills in not only explosives but also in urban guerrilla warfare saw him rise in prominence and he became popular among the trainees as well as with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence's (ISI's) Afghan cell, which preferred al-Farooq camp ahead of any other al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.
Abu Faraj's interaction with Pakistanis, whether they were private militants or military men, was deep and is characterized by the fact that he was good at Pakistan's national language, Urdu, which is spoken in urban centers, in addition to Pashtu. His choice in marriage was a Pakistani woman.
Abu Faraj had been used as a facilitator between al-Qaeda's cells in North Africa and their support system in the United Kingdom. His first field operation was the assignment to kill Musharraf, which was delegated to him because of his proven abilities and his connections among Pakistani jihadis and members of the armed forces, some of whom participated in the two attempts on Musharraf's life. The duty was assigned by Osama bin Laden's deputy, Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Al-Qaeda had invested in Pakistan well before the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, anticipating the consequences of the September 11 attack, that is, that they would be driven out of Afghanistan. It was that goodwill among military men and jihadis that Abu Faraj tapped into to carry out his attacks on Musharraf. (Link)
