The Islamic Terrorist Puzzle
Unravelling the Web of Violence
In these days of recovery from the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, we should not lose focus on fundamental facts and goals for the civilized world. We want to kill terrorism dead. Much like American households became used to the insect repellant television ads, we are hearing more and more the Black Flag utterance, "kill them dead", a redundant if not emotional appeal to the final solution for terrorism. An like insects, the terrorist we are targeting is a pest to say the least. It has only been in the last decade, and especially in the last few weeks, that we have become aware that this particular form of vermin is deadly. Much like the hunt to wipe out malaria, we are out to swat the insect with an effective, long lasting, and if possible permanent blow that will forever banish the plight from our world.
Islam Not To Blame, But Some Islamic Leaders Are
You can't blame the followers of a beautiful and alturistic faith -- followers of Islam. But you can blame and should target Islamic countries who teach hate and rebellion in their schools. Not just your everyday "public" school, but, believe it or not, religious institutions. Take for instance, Maulana Samiul Haq, a 62 year old leader of the Haqqania Islamic Seminary in Pakistan. A follower of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the religious leader supporting Osama Bin Laden, Haq ensures the classes taught in his seminary include such tirades as "Holy war will be the duty of all Muslims" and "If there is a Jihad, the students won't need my permission. They must go." 1
When asked about President Bush's promise to seek out terrorists and those who support them, Haq says, "Bush is attempting to buy Pakistan and Pakistan's favors. He will rain dollars and greenbacks on us while handing us guns to kill our innocent people in Afghanistan. It's known as mercenary in our part of the world, and we don't like it."
Is it a small wonder that the young boys taught by this seminary school leader are anxious to join the taliban or better yet, travel to Afghanistan to join their hero Bin Laden. One of his students, Abdul Bar, a 16 year old quoted prior to being interrupted by a teacher, "They teach us the Holy Koraon, and Maulana Samilul Haq says Jihad is right and correct." When asked about impending war, he says "I'm not afraid....I'm ready. Yes, I'm really ready."
Jim Sherman, an independent film maker featured on a 9/23/01 special on MSNBC 2, interviewed captured pro-Taliban fighters in Northern Afghanistan. All were angry anti-American, Anti-British, and naturally, anti-Israeli. One speaking in American venacular didn't seem to mind that Bin Laden was a self-confessed terrorist, "People must have an occupation...his is a terrorist. I don't care." Time and time again, the reporter found those interred in the Northern Afghanistan POW camp more anti-American than anti-Afghan loyal and in some cases more angry at America than Israel.
Bin Laden Is Not Alone
But clearly the Afgans fighting for the Taliban are not all hero worshippers of Bin Laden. Even if he is gone, his right hand man, a Cairo surgeon, Dr. Aymna Al-Zawahari, is also the leader of Islamic Jihad (aka Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya or Al Gama) in Egypt, one of the groups closely tied to Bin Laden's Al-Qaida. During his watch as leader of Al Gama, Zawahari's terrorists killed xx at the Luxor tombs in Egypt by attacking the grounds and a bus full of tourists. The Islamic Jihad is actively pursuing the downfall of the current Egyptian government as well as supports anti-Saudi elements in Saudi Arabia. And of course, as a major player in the Al-Qaida alliance, Zawahari's group lends support in all shapes and forms to Bin Laden, providing training expertise, weapons, and recruits for dangerous missions such as, evidence is beginning to point to, the attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers and the U.S. Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Believed to now be residing with Bin Laden somewhere in Afghanistan, Zawahari has been a terrorist for decades, lending his vast experience to planning for Al Qaida as well as continued ties to the Al Gama. Listed as a wanted man in Egypt, Zawahari cannot return to his homeland or any of the nations friendly to them having already fled Saudia Arabia and Pakistan. He is wanted for planning the attack on the Egyptian Embassy in Pakistan and 1995, and has been convicted in abstentia for various terrorist acts in Egypt and Saudia Arabia, for which he has earned the death sentence.
Thus Bin Laden enjoys support from the erstwhile seminary teacher to surgeon-cum-terrorist Zawahari. Does it end there? No.
The Money Trail
Recently, investigators attempting to pull together the financial strings that Bin Laden pulls, have discovered that his money is co-mingled with so many other, supposedly reputable other concerns that it is difficult to tell the two apart. Partially due to his family ties and most likely astute financial practices, Bin Laden's funds are nearly inseparable froms those untouchable in the Middle East. This is deterring the U.S. government however, as the new step in combatting Bin Laden and his ilk is to permit the U.S. Treasury to freeze assests of any sort or manner in the U.S. as well as the authority to work with foreign banks to sieze assets tied to Bin Laden.
The result, it is hoped, to stop the flow of cash to Bin Laden and Zawahari plotters, and hopefully forcing them to desperation if they attempt further atrocities. And while the U.S. may never see these foreign funds, it is believed that foreign banks and investors will seize the opportunity to hold Bin Laden's funds until he is killed or captured, and thus garner an economic gain at the man's downfall. This should be a powerful tool in the fight against Bin Laden and other terrorists to be targeted by the U.S., NATO partners, and even Russian and Chinese financial czars. See the table below for information on the groups identified by the U.S. President as those under financial sanctions.
The Country Puzzle
What remains to be seen is how well the U.S. can link various countries to terrorism in a fashion that will allow a war to be fought, using any of the methods outlined by U.S. President Bush.
Bin Laden, of course, is enjoying the temporary protection of Afghanistan's Taliban regime. However, it appears that the anti-Taliban elements tied up in the North of Afghanistan may be able to gain support from some of their countrymen as the U.S. is seen to provide aid and support as they persue the capture or death of Bin Laden and his followers. U.S. rhetoric pointing out that Afghanistan is not harboring Bin Laden, but the Taliban are, provides an out for the country as a whole. Afghanistan's people can rebel against the over-zealous Taliban extreme fundamentalists, and return their country to a more palatable rule, tossing out Bin Laden as gesture of good will. Will this happen? While it seems unlikely today, a few weeks may spell a change. The winds are already blowing in favor of those hunkered down in Northern Afghanistan, and the Taliban are under pressure even from what some call their creators, the Pakistani. The pressure is to give up on Bin Laden, and avert incursions by U.S. military as they attempt to root out Bin Laden.
But as U.S. President George W. Bush has proclaimed, all global terrorism will be sought out and destroyed. This moves us beyond looking at Bin Laden's favorite hideout in Afghanistan to countries such as the Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and of course Iraq. In fact the U.S. "Terrorist Hit List", as the State Department's list of nations sponsoring terrorism has come to be known, lists those countries well established as terrorist sponsers. Lebanon's Bekka Valley bordered by Syria and encampments there, provide a rich target for anyone pursuing terrorists, and it would not be surprising to see that area on world television channels in the forthcoming weeks or months.
And in countries not on the list, but who perhaps have not pursued terrorists with global reach, the ante is up to suddenly take action. Perhaps even Egypt and the Saudis are rethinking their, at times, tranquil attempts to capture people like Bin Laden. The short list for those terrorist groups wanted by the U.S. lies across a vast area of the middle east:
Countries Harboring Terrorists
| Name | Leader | Goal | Strength | Harbored in |
| Al
Qaida *
(aka home base or Islamic Army) |
Osama Bin Laden (aided by his Lt. Dr. Ayman Al-Zawahari and with religious leadership of Mullah Mohammed Omar of Afghanistan) | Overthrow/Destroy countries not following Bin Laden and Mullah Mohammed Omar's interpretation of Islamic Law. Acknowleged bombing of U.S. and Israeli embassies as well as bombs on aircraft through 1995. Supports and trains terrorists from all causes and countries, extensibly from training grounds in the mountains of Afghanistan. | 1000s of supporters, 100s of active terrorists organized in cells or part of smaller networks. Typical member is young, radical Shia Muslim. | Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, and without consent, Egypt. Possible cells in U.S., Canada, France, U.K., and Germany. Has held training in Lebanon's Bekka Valley and in the deserts of Sudan. |
| The Islamic
Jihad *
(aka Islamic Group, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Al-Hidad, Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya) |
Dr. Dr. Aymna Al-Zawahari | Overthrow/destroy current government of Egypt -- restore true Islamic Law to the rule of the country. Provides support to other terrorist groups with global reach such as Al Qaida. | 1000s of supporters, 100s of active terrorists | Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and without consent, Egypt |
| Hezbollah
(aka Al-'Asifa, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine) |
Closely tied to and often directed by elements within Iran including secular and cleric alike. | Destruction of all those opposing a Palestinian homeland, with a special emphasis on Isarel, establish through whatever means possible, a Palestinian homeland on Jewish won soil. Admitted responsibility for the bombing of the U.S. Marine Barracks in Lebabon in 1983, the hijacking of TWA 847 in 1985 and the bombing of Israeli embassy in Buenes Aires in 1992. | 6000-8000 members with some 500 active terrorists | Lebanon (Al Biqa' -- Bekka Valley), Syria, Sudan and
without consent in Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt. Has
established cells in Europe, Africa, South America, U.S., and possible cells in Germany, France, Great Britain, and Canada. Has held training or participated in training in the Bekka Valley as well as the deserts of Sudan. |
| Al-Fatah
(aka Palestinian Liberation Front) |
Yassar Arafat | Destroy all those standing against a Palestinian homeland. In the last few years has supposedly disavowed terrorism in order to participate in the Oslo accords, however, recently its leadership ineffective in stopping suicide, pipe, and car bombings in Palestinian occupied terroritories in Israel. | 1000s | Lebanon and Syria |
| Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) | Nayif Hawatmah | Violently opposed to the peace process in the Middle East, violently opposes the accords at Oslo and the Declaration of Principles and Arafat's disavowing terrorism, producing a split from Al-Fatah. Is known to support Al Gama and Al Qaida with recruits and weapons in exchange for training. | 100s | Syria, Lebanon, and the Israeli occupied territories. Receives aid from Syria and Libya. May have held training sessions in Lebanon, Afghanistan (Bin Laden's support) or the deserts of Sudan and Libya. |
| Harkat ul-Mujahedeen (HUA) * | Fazlur Rehman Khalil | Targets Indian troops and civilians - primarily in Kashmir disputed with China and India | 100s | Pakistan, Afghanistan -- linked to Bin Laden's training camps |
| Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) * | ? | Overthrow of the government of Uzbekistan and creating an Islamic State | 100s | Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some cells in Khasikstan and Uzbekistan without consent |
| Abu Sayyaf Group (ASC) * | ? | Overthrow of current Philippine government and replacing it with an Islamic State | 50-100 | Phillipines without consent -- trained by Bin Laden |
| Armed Islamic Group (AIG) * | ? | Overthrow of the Aglerian governement with intense hatred of the government of France | 100s | French Algeria without consent, trained in Afghanistan by Bin Laden and Bosnian Muslims who fought in the Bosnian campaign. |
| Salafist Group for Call and Combat * | ? | Splinter group from the Armed Islamic Group -- provide funds to same through racketeeting, smuggling, real estate investments and money laundering in Algeria | - | Funds Armed Islamic Group who in turn has provided funds to Al Qaida to support Bin Laden |
| Asbat Al Ansar * | ? | Extermist anti-Israeli, pro Palestinian prone to violence in the occupied teroritoies. Collects funds of which some make their way to Hezzbollah or Al Fatah | small | Lebanon, occupied territories of Israel |
| Islamic Army of Aden * | ? | Overthrow of secular governments in Yemen and surrounding states, wish to replace with rule under Isamic Law. | small | Yemen and surrounding nations |
| Islamic Army for the Liberation of Holy Sites * | Muhammad Atif | Removal of Israelis from Muslim holy grounds -- attacks on Israel and her supporters like U.S. | small | Occupied territories of Israel, North Africa. |
| Al-Rashid Trust * | ? | Supposed charitable group in Pakistan supplying subizized baked goods to the poor, and offers financial and home support to the Taliban government in Afghanistan | - | Pakistan, Afghanistan |
| Al-Taqwa ** | Youssef M. Nada (Tunisian born Egyptian citizen) and Ali Himmat (Syrian born Swiss citizen) | A major "hawalas" or money exchanged used worldwide by many innocent mid-easterners for innocent means are now being used as conduits for terrorist funds. | Used by large number of mid-easterners | Worldwide Connections |
| Aaran Money Wire Service Inc ** | Minneapolis | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Al-Barakaat Wiring Service ** | Minneapolis | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Barakaat Boston ** | Office in Dorchester, Mass | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Barakaat North America Inc ** | Dorchester, Mass and Ottawa, Canada | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Barakat Wire Transfer Co. of Seattle ** | Seattle, Washington | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Global Service International of Seattle ** | Seattle, Washington | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Somali International Relief Organization of Minneapolis ** | Minneapolis | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Youssef M. Nada and Co ** | Switzerland | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Al Taqwa Management Co. ** | Switzerland | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Al Taqwa Bank ** | Bahamas | A major "hawalas" or money exchange. | ||
| Muslim Brotherhood | Worldwide | Fundamentalist Organization providing funding to Terrorists |
Source: Patterns of Global Terrorism, U.S. State Department, 1996-2000, San Jose Mercury News, 9/28/01, Associated Press News Feed, 9/27/01, Federation of American Scientists terrorist pages.
The Muslim Connection
As U.S., European, and Asian leaders all have been attempting to make clear, the U.S. battle is not against the Muslim. In fact, the majority of the Middle East nations and their populations are not at all a target. The target is defined clearly as those who conduct terrorist operations, support those conducting those operations, and increasingly more dangerous, those who harbor them. If the nation harboring the terrorist is Christian or Budhist, it would not matter. To harbor terrorists is to call for your own self destruction -- suffering the fate of those you harbor.
So where does the Muslim connection come from? As most of us following the news will have learned, there is the connection between centuries of conflict between the Arab and Jew. Our written histories -- Christian, Jews, and Muslims -- are replete with examples of the conflict. The Bible, the Christian and Jewish holy text, tells the story of Abraham and his sons, one who is born of a slave woman (a Jew) and one his wife later bears. His wife tells Abraham to cast out the slave issue and thus the separation of Jew and Arab begins. It is pretty difficult to go further back in world history to find such a long lived conflict. In modern day events, the formation of the Israeli nation was celebrated by an Arab invasion on that very day. The Palestinian conflict emerged as the rallying cry for a Palestinian homeland, coincidentally or not, on the land won later by Israel in its wars with its neighbors. The result has been a continuation of that conflict, and only tempered somewhat by mature Muslim leaders in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordon, just to name a few.
How is it then, that these three countries and a number of others manage to co-habitate in the Middle East with the Israelis, no longer attempting to overthrow the Jewish state? Quite simply, because their religious and political leaders have ceased the teaching of hate and rejection of the Israeli religion.
One of the chief pillars of the Islamic faith is to help those in need. The Islamic Law preaches good versus evil and sets out the criteria for both, and religious leaders in Islam have realized that the Israeli nation, the United States, Europeans and Asians all share Muslim brothers within their borders and these countries and regions DO NOT present a danger to the Middle Eastern countries. On the contrary, it is to the rest of the world's benefit to see peace and tranquility in the Middle East for both economic reasons (readily available oil and a reduction in the military budget alone would make most of the world extremely happy) and political reasons.
Regions of Trouble
Today Africa and the Middle East present the rest of the world with the majority of angst. From famine to government turnovers, this part of the world takes up far too much attention in the World's governments, attention that would be better turned to helping third world nations grow instead of survive the next few months. With a third of the famine in the regions owing to misuse of government funds for military purposes, the ceasation of hostilities throughout both regions could immediately supply billions of dollars in funds to offest aid from outside.
Perhaps one of the solutions to the Muslim connection is to first tie ALL Muslims together as never before, whether they live in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, or the U.S. This connection of all Muslims needs to be a peaceful tie, one which clearly points at the extremist, routing him out of the dens where he hides, and holds him up for prosecution. If we can somehow make the world's Muslims understand that for no other reason than the economic and social well being of their people, the senseless destruction must stop, perhaps then we make headway in stopping the violent terrorism. It is unfortunate, but Islam is being used as a shield for these murderers and the best way to take away their defenses is for the world Muslim community to take action by no longer allowing the terrorists to use their religion as a wall to hide behind. Ex-communication in the strictist sense -- deny the Islamic extremist from the practice of the very religion he is subverting, just as we would expect the Pope to ex-communicate a catholic found to be fostering and conducting murder in the name of Catholicism.
And clearly, we have to ensure the Muslim peoples of the world quit identifying themselves with the terrorist simply because he or she professes to be a believer of Islam -- we all know now that they are adulterers of the faith -- worshipping violence over the principles of the very faith they use as their cause. By identifying with the extremist, an attack against a terrorist becomes an attack against the faithful and this is simply not true, nor desirable for the Muslim people. Our Muslim brothers must realize we who are taking on the terrorists are taking out those who have, to use George W. Bush's statement, "Hijacked the Islamic religion for their own purposes.".
Useful Al-Qaida and Osama Bin Laden Background Information
|
When
|
Where
|
Details
|
|
1992
|
Aden, Yemen
|
Bin Laden claims to have conducted three bombings
targeting U.S. soldiers
|
|
1992
|
Somalia
|
Bin Laden’s Al Qaida carried out attacks on U.S.
soldiers, and the shooting down ofa U.S. military helicopter in Mogadishu,
killing 18 U.S. servicemen.
|
|
1993
|
Jordan
|
Suspected in failed attempt at assassinating crown
price Prince Hassan of Jordon.
|
|
1994
|
Algeria
|
Suspected of hijacking an Air France airliner, killing
three
|
|
1994
|
Manila, Philippines
|
Backed plot to assassinate Pope Paul’s visit to
Manila, including bombing plot against U.S. and Israeli embassies,
|
|
1995
|
Ethiopia
|
Foiled plot to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak
|
|
1995
|
Saudi Arabia
|
Bin Laden responsible for the attack on a U.S. training
facility n Riyadh and the bombing of the U.S. military housing structure,
the Khobar Towers.
|
|
1995
|
Manila, Philippines
|
Behind a plan to assassinate former President Bill
Clinton during a presidential visit
|
|
1996
|
Afghanistan
|
Bin Laden forced to leave the Sudan, taking up residence
in Afghanistan
|
|
1997
|
Egypt
|
Bin Laden financed and helped the GIA plan the attack
on tourists at the Luxor pyramids, killing 58 foreign tourists.
|
|
1998
|
Africa: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, ; Nairobi, Kenya
|
According to the U.S. State Department and the FBI,
Ali Saleh, of GIA planned an August 7, 1998 bombing with the aid of Bin
Laden. 247 killed in embassy bombing in Tanzania
|
|
1999
|
Mauritania
|
Plotter Ould Slahi arrested for planning a bomb
attack against U.S. Released a few days later
|
|
1999
|
Jordan
|
Abu Zubaydah, a Bin Laden Lt. Coordinates a foiled
plot targeting Western and Israeli tourists. Zubaydah directed plot
from Pakistan and then fled to Afghanistan
|
|
2000
|
Aden, Yemen
|
The attack on the U.S.S. Cole directly linked to
Bin Laden’s Al Qaida
|
Osama Bin Laden’s Training Grounds
The following list contains the places where Bin Laden
or Al Qaida members train terrorists and the source country of these trainees:
|
Country
|
Activity
|
|
Pakistan and Afghanistan
|
Rebel Fighters from Eritrea trained here
|
|
Rebel Fighters from Philippines
|
|
|
Rebel Fighters targeting India trained
|
|
|
Algeria
|
Bin Laden supports, and operates with the Algerian
terrorist group, the GIA
|
|
Bosnia, Herzegoviana
|
Bin Laden has sent terrorist trainers to Boznia,
Herzegovina
|
|
Chechnya
|
Bin Laden has sent terrorist trainers to Checnya
|
|
Egypt
|
Bin Laden has trained, planned with and operated
with GIA
|
|
Libya
|
Bin Laden has trained Libyian terrorists in the
Pakistan and Afghanistan camps.
|
|
Yemen
|
Bin Laden has sent terrorist trainers to Yemen
|
1 Pakistan school inspires boys with zeal for religious wars , San Jose Mercury News and AP Newswire, 9/24/01 (HTML reference directly to this story is no longer available, but the reader can search the San Jose Mercury News Archives at http://www0.mercurycenter.com/resources/search/
2 NBC Broadcast, 9/23/01, featuring independent Journalist Jim Sherman.
© Copyright 2001, Michael Crawford, MILNET