Al Qaeda `sleepers' may be in U.S.

Chi Tribune ^ | June 30, 2002

[dennisw]

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/showcase/chi-0206300380jun30.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dhed

Abu Saleh, the organizer

What is known, investigators say, is that Abu Saleh, who arrived in Rome in April 1998, was sent to Italy for the express purpose of organizing the disparate Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian Islamic opposition groups here and refocusing their efforts in the pursuit of Al Qaeda's goals.

With the end of the fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Algerian government's crackdown on terrorism, Islamic radicals had begun casting about for a new venue. In 1997, the same year the Taliban took power in Afghanistan and bin Laden moved his operations there from Sudan, "the terrorist networks in Europe deserted Europe and pointed to Afghanistan," one investigator said.

Before that, "all those terrorist groups didn't work together. They worked just on their own. They were not in touch with each other. When bin Laden put all these groups together under the umbrella of Al Qaeda, the European terrorist organizations started to be in touch and to have connections."

In December 1999, his request for asylum in Italy having been granted, Abu Saleh moved to Milan from Rome. The same month, the Special Operations Directorate of the Milan police, known as DIGOS, began following Abu Saleh and planting microphones in his apartment, car and in a local mosque, the Islamic Cultural Institute, which police say the Milan cell used as its informal headquarters and which the U.S. Treasury Department has since labeled Al Qaeda's main "station house" in Europe.

DIGOS soon discovered that Abu Saleh was contacting the loosely formed Tunisian, Moroccan and Algerian networks in Milan, welding them into a coordinated enterprise capable of providing false passports, identity cards and other documents to Al Qaeda members from several countries who needed to move from place to place.

"His main aim was to join these groups," an investigator said. "That's why he came to Italy."

U.S. infiltration mentioned

The bugs and wiretaps produced a rich trove of information. In February 2001, Abu Saleh had what the police report describes as a "very important" conversation with a man who answered Abdulsalam Ali Ali Abdulrahman's telephone in Yemen.

"I have heard you are getting into America," Abu Saleh is heard to say.

"I'm sorry," replied the voice on the other end, "but we did not manage to get in . . . "

"How come, man?" Abu Saleh asked.

"This is our goal," the voice replied, "and we have no greater desire . . . We hope and wish to enter clandestinely by land . . . ."

 

<Much more at the original link. Very good reading about this Abu Saleh terrorist.>

[Lessismore]

And if they are in Arizona or Colorado, all they need is matches.

[Brad’s Gramma]

BTTT for later read.

[martin_fierro]

Al Qaeda `sleepers' may be in U.S.

Well, DUH.

[dennisw]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/ news/nationworld/showcase/chi-0206300380jun30.story?coll=chi %2Dnews%2Dhed

[dennisw]

The contempt of the young men for the European society in which they had immersed themselves also comes through unmistakably.

"Here women are naked," one said. "You see also underwear . . . in the street."

Said another: "I hate this country. I hate its people. I hate their documents . . . I tell you, I would go anywhere."

Abu Saleh was quick to agree.

"Europe is a real plague," he said. "Europe is like a prison without walls."

The overheard conversations contain several exchanges in which Abu Saleh, unaware of the microphones that surround him, admonishes the others never to speak candidly over the telephone, because "everything is recorded."

One investigator said that while the Milan Al Qaeda members had evidently believed it was impossible for police to bug their apartments and automobiles, surveillance had become more difficult after some of the overheard material began turning up in court proceedings.

"They are getting smarter," the investigator said.

Although investigators say they had been aware for nearly a decade that Milan was "the most important center in Europe for Egyptian terrorist groups," it had not been understood before Sept. 11 that Milan represented Al Qaeda's main outpost in Europe--or why.

Only afterward, one investigator said, had it become clear that a number of high-level Egyptian terrorists were the driving force behind Al Qaeda. Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden's reputed No. 2, is an Egyptian physician. Mohammed Atef, a former Cairo policeman, was believed to be bin Laden's top operational aide before he died in the bombing in Afghanistan.

[boris]

"Al Qaeda `sleepers' may be in U.S."

This is like saying air "may contain" oxygen.

--Boris

[Cachelot]

Al Qaeda `sleepers' may be in U.S.

"Sleepers"?? Geez, I have the impression that they're all suffering from insomnia and hanging out on FR.

[g'nad]

"Wake up...time to die..."

[knighthawk]

This is the article I wanted to ping you on, but it was deleted because the Chicago Tribune is on the 'don't post full articles' list!

[knighthawk]

Ping and thanks for the re-post!

[crazykatz]

BTT