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John Walker – Foot Soldier or bin Laden Confidant?

The "American Taliban" John Walker has been talking with American authorities – and is now warning of an impending biological attack on the US after Ramadan ends.  US authorities downplay Walker's credibility. They portray him as a lowly foot soldier who would not be privy to such information.

Maybe Walker really is trying to cut a deal now that the death penalty looms over his head. Maybe he is making up a story to use as a bargaining chip for a lighter sentence. Or maybe he is more than he appears to be.

* Walker claimed early on to have spoken frequently with Bin-Ladin. Not the mark of an ordinary foot soldier in an organization of several thousand fighters.

* As an American recruit, Walker would have been a special prize for Bin-Ladin. It is credible that bin Laden paid special attention to him, favoured him, promoted him.

* As an American, Walker was in a position to provide Bin-Laden special insight into US society, US values, and  likely reactions of US citizens to particular threats or attacks. Walker would have been prime material for a "special advisor" on America.

* Walker's age and brief tenure with al Qa'ida don't rule out a position of responsibility. Terrorists don't hold promotion boards at fixed intervals.

*  Walker's threat of a second and third phase of terror against America, calculated to destroy this nation, echo statements Mullah Omar made weeks ago.

Whether Bin-Ladin's pet American, courtier or plans officer, Walker could well know what he is talking about. US security cannot afford to ignore his claims.
 
- Sidney E. Dean

Sidney E. Dean is President, Transatlantic Euro-American Multimedia LLC (www.TEAMultimedia.com), publisher of Hampton Roads International Security Quarterly (HRISQ) and Pentagon Brief.
 

Is Walker all he seems?
 
Of considerable interest are the comments made about Walker or Abdul Hamid as he preferred to be described, by a respected intelligence source who warned "don't ignore the possibility that Walker is a company asset" and indeed the CIA Special Activities Team that included the late 'Mike' Spann had received briefings not only from experienced Near East Division officers but reportedly from 'handlers', officers who control agents in the field at a US base in Uzbekistan before their insertion into northern Afghanistan.
 
If Walker is now willing to talk or perhaps if he was in fact a CIA 'mole' then any chance that he had gained the confidence of Osama Bin-Ladins inner circle could make him a very important young man indeed.
 
- Kamal Tahir
 
Notes from the Front
 
If the attack on the Indian Parliament Building in New Delhi proves to have been carried out by Kashmiri Muslim terrorists, then India may have no alternative left to a major military response against the Pakistan backed separatists and if necessary, Pakistan itself.
 
So too, Israel cannot allow the growing numbers of its dead to go unpunished. However genuine Palestinian grievances undoubtedly are, Sharon must act decisively or risk accusations of failing to protect his people
 
For further expert commentary on Kashmir, Middle East and the War on Terrorism contact AFI
 

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