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| Terror Networks |
| Al-Qaeda will continue attacks: Knothead |
| 2008-04-23 |
| Osama bin Laden’s chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has warned that Al-Qaeda still has plans to target Western countries involved in the Iraq war. Zawahiri’s comments, in a lengthy audiotape posted on an Islamist website on Tuesday, could not be immediately confirmed as authentic, but the voice sounded like past audiotapes from the terror leader. Asked by one follower if the terror group still had plans to attack Western countries that participated in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the subsequent war, he said: “My answer is yes! We think any country that joined an aggression on Muslims must be deterred.” On whether women were a part of Al-Qaeda, he answered: “No.” This is the second time Zawahiri has answered questions submitted by supporters, critics and journalists. In his first response earlier this month, he rejected criticism of attacks saying the group did not kill innocent persons. Zawahiri said it was against Islamic law for a Muslim to live permanently in the West as by doing so they would “have permanent stay there under the laws of the infidels.” Al-Qaeda’s media arm, Al-Sahab, announced in December 2007 that Zawahiri would field questions posted on websites. Queries were submitted until the cut-off date — January 16. After the deadline, questions disappeared from the site. According to the questions, self-proclaimed Al-Qaeda supporters appeared to be as much in the dark about the network’s operations and intentions as Western analysts and intelligence agencies. The questioners appeared uncertain whether Al-Qaeda’s central leadership directly controlled the multiple, small militant groups around West Asia, which work in its name, or whether those groups operated on their own. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 See also TOPIX > PERSEPECTIVE: A DANGEROUS POST-PROLIFERATION AGE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-04-23 03:20 |