The Globalization of Terror: The Challenge of Al-Qaida and the Response of the International Community

245 Pages·2003·1.18 MB·English

by  Yoram Schweitzer

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The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya
The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism
Transaction Publishers
New Brunswick (U.S.A.) and London (U.K.)
Copyright © 2003 by The Interdisciplinary Center for Herzliya Projects.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conven-
tions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any
information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing
from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Transaction Publishers,
Rutgers—The State University, 35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-
8042.
This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Stan-
dard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2003040221
ISBN: 0-7658-0197-3
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schweitzer, Yoram.
[Hafta'ah tsefuyah. English]
The globalization of terror : the challenge of Al-Qaida and the reponse of
the international community / Yoram Schweitzer and Shaul Shay ; translated
by Rachel Lieberman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7658-0197-3 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001. 2. Terrorism—United States.
3. Qaida (Organization) 4. War on Terrorism, 2001- I. Shay, Shaul. II.
Schweitzer, Yoram. Hafta'ah tsefuyah. English. III. Title.
HV6432.5.Q2 S3713 2003
303.6'25—dc21 2003040221
Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgements xi
Author’s Note xiii
Introduction 1
1.Islamic Fundamentalism and Bin-Laden 9
Islamic Fundamentalism—The Background 9
Bin-Laden and Islamic Fundamentalism 21
Bin-Laden and the Formulation of a Worldview 25
and Ideology of Afghan “Alumni”
Bin-Laden and the Jewish-Israeli Issue 32
Bin-Laden’s Islamic Terror as an Expression 42
of the Confrontation Between Cultures
2.The Terror of Afghan “Alumni” in the International Arena 55
Introduction 55
Al-Qaida 59
Egypt 60
Jordan 67
Algeria 71
India and Pakistan 76
Uzbekistan 86
Southeast Asia 88
The Xinjiang Province in Western China 96
Chechnya 98
The Balkan Region 108
Yemen 112
The Tri-Border: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay 122
3.Terror Attacks of Al Qaida and the Islamic Front 129
Bin-Laden’s “Principles” 129
Al-Qaida Attacks 131
The Assault of September 11, 2001— 136
”The Great Provocation”
The Terror Attack in the United States and 153
the Phenomenon of Suicide Terror
Suicide Terror Characteristics 159
The Attacks of Terror Networks and Cells 164
Affiliated with Bin-Laden’s “Islamic Front”
Terror Cells Affiliated with Al-Qaida in Europe 178
Terror Cells Affiliated with Al-Qaida in 190
Southeast Asia—Arrests
The Terror Cell Affiliated with Al-Qaida in Morocco 196
4.The Campaign against Terror and Its Threats 201
The Stages of the Campaign against Global 201
Islamic Terror
Future Terror Threats in the International Arena 211
Cyber Terrorism 217
Epilogue 221
Index 225
Foreword
This volume by Yoram Schweitzer and Shaul Shay constitutes an
important contribution to academic research dealing with the phe-
nomenon of international terror. It uniquely describes the phenom-
enon of “Afghan alumni” in the overall texture of the development
of modern international terror, against the background of radical
Islam’s militant worldview. The book presents the unique worldview
of Bin-Laden and his ultimate goal, and exposes the organizational
structure that Bin-Laden aspired to build in order to realize the vi-
sion of establishing a world Islamic Caliphate in practical terms.
The book examines the background and causes that led to the at-
tacks of September 11 and the objectives that they were intended to
achieve. The terror assault in the United States integrates smoothly
within the route navigated by Bin-Laden in order to realize his apoca-
lyptic prophecy. Schweitzer and Shay expose Bin-Laden’s inten-
tion to evoke “a great provocation” designated at causing a frontal
confrontation between the Western world and the Moslem world as
part of his revelation of the clashing of civilizations.
The circle of countries that support terror is analyzed extensively
in this volume, but particularly noteworthy is the part of Shiite Iran,
which has played a central role in the dissemination of radical Islam
and made use of terror as a central tool for its promotion. Iran has
not only contributed heavily to the spreading of terror in the world
since the beginning of the eighties to date, but at the present time
also serves as an important factor in the fostering of terror groups
from various ideological streams.
Dogmatic Iran has demonstrated a remarkably pragmatic policy
in all matters relating to terror organizations, even when they are
affiliated with a rival school of thought. Thus, despite the hostility
between Shiite Iran and the Sunni Taliban regime associated with
Bin-Laden, Iran aids the Al-Qaida organization and many Sunni
terror organizations mentioned in the book that are affiliated with
the World Jihad such as the Jama’a al-Islamiya, The Egyptian Jihad,
vii
viii The Globalization of Terror
the Algerian GIA, the Tunisian al-Nahada and others. Within its
boundaries, Iran hosts members of Al-Qaida, and in the past year
several terrorists affiliated with the Global Jihad were apprehended
en route to perpetrating an attack, and their point of departure was
Iran. After the apprehension of Abu-Zubeida, one of Bin-Laden’s
prominent associates (the end of March 2000), his interrogation re-
vealed that he had also found refuge in Iran after the terror attack in
the United States. The Lebanese Hizballah organization, which un-
der Iran sponsorship spearheads its terror policy, maintains links
with terror elements affiliated with Al-Qaida such as the Lebanese
“al-Antsar Regiment.”
Nonetheless, Iran is not the only country that encourages and
makes use of these organizations. The circle of countries that sup-
port terror includes Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Libya, and to a lesser
degree Sudan and Pakistan, which, according to past reports, sup-
ported the Taliban and Al-Qaida.
In general, it is important to note the dualism with which Moslem
countries address the issue of terror. On the one hand, these states
aspire to find pragmatic ways to diminish this phenomenon, some-
times while supplying financing and support, as well as aspiring to
make use of the organization for internal purposes. On the other
hand, Egypt, and to a certain extent Jordan, too, are waging a re-
lentless war against these elements within their boundaries, but dem-
onstrate “flexibility” towards them when they are located outside of
their terrain.
An additional significant aspect vis-à-vis the fostering of terror is
expressed in the granting of the religious stamp of approval by the
Islamic clergy. Most religious authorities act freely and with little
disruption in the Moslem countries and in the Western countries,
and serve as a vital tool for the dissemination of ideas and the imbu-
ing of radical concepts within Islam.
A crucial point influencing the successful handling of the phe-
nomenon of international terror in general, and Islamic terror in
particular, is the approach to the funding of terror. There exists a
network of funds based on the various “zakat” organizations, which
actually function without disruption both in the Moslem world and
in the West. The countries of the free world have not yet succeeded
in building effective tools to contend with this phenomenon.
Technological developments and the availability of non-conven-
tional substances with the capability to cause unlimited destruction,
Foreword ix
in addition to the willingness of terror elements and their patrons to
cause massacres in order to promote their political interests, must
now be considered immediate challenges demanding an adequate
response by world leaders. It is their duty to provide a strategic
response to the systematic threat posed by terror against every citi-
zen on the globe. There is a suitable response to the threat of terror,
and it is dependent upon the decision and action of world leaders.
The solution lies in the formulation of an effective and coordinated
action strategy, which will significantly diminish the presence of
terror on the international agenda and prevent it from growing into
the monstrous dimensions that it approaches with such confidence.
The current struggle against the terror of both Shiite and Sunni
Fundamentalist Islam, whose radical expressions are indiscriminate
mass terror, is a struggle on behalf of values, lifestyles, and the qual-
ity of life, and not only a struggle for justice, as the terrorists attempt
to portray it. There is no justice or justification for the cold-blooded
murder of unarmed infants, children, women, and men. The threat
posed by terror today is against human liberty, security, and dignity,
and it is very real and pressing; therefore, it must be dealt with reso-
lutely and inflexibly, the sooner the better.
Meir Dagan, Brigadier-General (res.)
Director of the Counter-terror Commission
of the Israeli Government, 1996-2000
Head of the Israeli “Mosad,” 2002
August 2002