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Penetrating Al-Qaeda
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| 14 September 2001 |
Yesterday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell named Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network as the prime suspect in the hunt for those responsible for Tuesday's attack on the USA. However, a number of factors will make the penetration of Al-Qaeda difficult, perhaps explaining why there was little warning of this attack.
Al-Qaeda’s operations are not carried out by one group led by one person, but are rather conducted by different groups with support and guidance from Al-Qaeda. The operational groups and Al-Qaeda are linked – not through direct chains of command, but by common experience in the fight against Russia in Afghanistan and a common belief in a pan-Islamic identity, and by the communication of experience and funds.
For these reasons, a static and formalised structure that could be penetrated by intelligence agencies does not necessarily exist. After the US embassy bombings it is believed that Al-Qaeda cut down on the number of people with knowledge of operations, further increasing the difficulties of gaining intelligence on potential attacks. Furthermore, it may not have been necessary for the operational cadres that carried out the hijackings to be in contact with those members of Al-Qaeda that have no doubt been under close surveillance by intelligence agencies.
Finally, an attack of this kind, which did not require the acquisition of explosives or those items commonly associated with improvised explosive devices, such as gas cylinders or certain chemicals, does not provide some of the warnings that other attacks can provide.