[Al Arabiya Latest] A new book published by the Islamist group al-Qaeda reveals the group is paranoid and faltering under international pressure and in "deathly fear" of United States counter terrorism measures in Pakistan, analysts said Friday.Al-Qaeda's 'Guide to the Laws Regarding Muslim Spies', a 150-page book written by al-Qaeda senior commander Abu Yahya al-Lini and recently posted on jihadist websites, accused "Muslim spies" within its own ranks of spying for the U.S. forces and providing them with information on al-Qaeda camps and safe houses. "It would be no exaggeration to say that the first line in the raging Crusader campaign waged by America and its allies against the Muslims and their lands is the network of spies, of various and sundry sorts and kinds," says the book, translated by MEMRI, the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute.
The Guidebook also claimed "Muslim spies" aided the U.S. in its latest Predator drone campaign against al-Qaeda's fighters in Pakistan.
In the guidebook al-Lini warned that even the old and sickly could be in essence Muslim spies working against al-Qaeda and causing "carnage, destruction, arrest and pursuit," Lini wrote. "Their effects are seen: carnage, destruction, arrest, and pursuit, but they themselves remain unseen, just like Satan and his ilk who see us while remaining unseen," the book stated.
Paranoia and fear
" It would be no exaggeration to say that the first line in the raging Crusader campaign waged by America and its allies against the Muslims and their lands is the network of spies, of various and sundry sorts and kinds "Qaeda Guidebook on Muslim Spies |
"In general, Al Qaeda speaks in a very triumphant tone but in the new book Al-Libi speaks of the group's dire straits and serious problems," said Daniel Lev, who works for MEMRI. "I haven't ever seen this kind of language from senior Al Qaeda commanders before," he added.
"Such an admission of distress on the part of a senior Al Qaeda commander makes this a very unique book in terms of the author," he explained. Ayman Al-Zawahri, al-Qaeda's the second man in command after Osama Bin Laden, wrote the introduction to the book.
Analysts also said that a deep seated paranoia of hidden enemies was the main preoccupation of Lini's book which claimed that spying knows no bounds and could be the occupation of even the imam of a mosque.
"The danger of these spies lies not only in the ability of these hidden 'brigades' to infiltrate and reach to the depths," Lini wrote, but "include the decrepit, hunchbacked old man who can hardly walk two steps; the strong young man who can cover the length and breadth of the land; the infirm woman sitting in the depths of her house."
"They are in deathly fear of airpower," Tom McInerny, a military analyst at FOX News said, adding that the book was a "gold mine" for its clues on the success of the Predator strikes in Pakistan which al-Qaeda's guidebook has singled out as the outcome of "Muslim spies" infiltrating its ranks.