Terror cells at liberty to strike

Washington Times ^ | 9/18/02 | Bill Gertz

[kattracks]

Information obtained from self-professed September 11 organizer Ramzi Binalshibh indicates al Qaeda has decentralized its leadership structure, making it more dangerous, according to U.S. officials.

Terrorist cells now have more autonomy to conduct attacks around the world, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

[Imal]

...al Qaeda has decentralized its leadership structure, making it more dangerous...

I'm not so sure al Qaeda is more dangerous simply because it is decentralized.

After all, raising funds without a central paymaster, researching targets without central guidance, planning without the benefit of strategists, obtaining weapons and destructive materiel without a centralized supply system, maintaining morale without charismatic leadership and operating without the general support of al Qaeda, "the Base", as a whole will, in my opinion, make al Qaeda terrorist cells less dangerous.

Of course, that doesn't mean these cells aren't dangerous, nor does it mean they won't kill lots of people if allowed to continue operating. Nonetheless, I was under the impression that the very centralization itself, the charismatic leadership of Usama bin Laden, sophisticated C4I, training and resources that made al Qaeda so dangerous compared to other terrorist organizations.

Now that the head has been severed, the tentacles may wriggle, but they can no longer reach out together.

[gPal]

most of this piece appears to be not very well put together propaganda (Pakistani source CLAIMS they have killer of Mr. Pearl) ...the assertions of so called "decentralization of the cells"...if true. are another indication that abl may in fact be dead and furthermore... that his successors are decentralizing power because they are having difficulty keeping things under contral and have no choice but to give up some of their power over these suicidal fools...the real danger in this...i believe... is that if thare are actually dozens or hundreds or more islamic terrorist cells...their acts of terrorism could make great cover for our L.A. type domestic gangs...especially blacks (ala far-ah-kan) who suddently get religion, decide to call their gang a cell and start becoming murderous in predominately middle class and higher neighborhoods...

[Imal]

A senior U.S. counterterrorism official, speaking recently on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that Mohammed is "the most significant operational player out there right now."

Ah, the Freudian slip. Mohammed really is "the most significant operational player out there right now."

And has been for centuries.

[Thebaddog]

Bin Laden was still given billions of dollars and the dough went somewhere and diamonds have been discussed as means of distributing funds. I hope that we are getting the money as well as these groups. I think we are.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #2

I agree. Shining Path guerillas of Peru went down the tube after their top leaders (21 of them ?) were all captured by Fujimori gov. We could see many poorly planned ineffective attacks with less damage, which will end up exposing more of their operatives than are required under a careful planning. In the end, the lack of successful attacks will demoralize operatives themselves.

If they are truly demoralized, they could quit terrorism and go into organized crime as a career change. All of their expertises are quite useful in organized crime. The only thing missing is a "cause", which they would have lost by that time.

[astounded]

I want to see them try something in Texas, for example, with its CC law on the books, or perhaps in Colorado during deer season when every cowboy has a 30.06 in his easy rider rifle rack. Go ahead, make my day.