ZURICH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ENGLISH 8: J8 SUMMIT

Al Qaeda
How powerful is the terrorist network today?
Philip Giese
5/30/2012

The Base of Holy War- Al Qaeda in 2012 Al Qaeda, the most widely known terrorist network, was founded in 1988 by the most wanted terrorist in America, Osama Bin Laden. It started off with three members and grew over the years. They were active during the Persian Gulf War because they did not agree upon the Americans joining and they have committed multiple attacks afterwards on most commonly US targets. They have committed crimes such as the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on September 11 th, 2001 as well as the bombings on nightclubs in Bali. Even though their leader, Osama Bin Laden, was exterminated one year ago, the terrorist network still exists. Two days after his death, a new leader was elected who is said to be better than Osama Bin Laden. Not only Osama Bin Laden has been removed from duty; also the leader of the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula who was shot by an FBI agent, as well as the leader of the Al Qaeda in East Africa was shot by a Policeman. Yet, the Al Qaeda network is powerful and is still growing in the amount of their supporters. Al Qaeda is still a global threat because of their global supporters, financial means and their access to weapons and chemicals. First off, the many Al Qaeda supporters around the world are trying to sustain the wellorganized terror assembly. In 2001, they were only active in Afghanistan and Pakistan and had little support from other areas. Besides, the network has 7 groups, spread across 5 different continents. They have a group in the Islamic Maghreb, Oceana, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Europe, in the Arabian Peninsula as well as in east Africa. Through this, their advantage is that they are able to easily conduct an attack anywhere around the globe. Each group has different targets. Furthermore, the Al Qaeda in East Africa (AQEA) is focused on bombing US embassies in Africa while the Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) is focused on bombing US Warships and Tanks in the Middle East. In addition, since the Persian Gulf War, Al Qaeda has grown in the number of supporters. They started off with two members: Osama Bin Laden, and Ayman Al Zawahiri. As John Ellis, an American Journalist from the Business Insider who frequently travels in Afghanistan stated: Today, it has more members, greater geographic reach, and a level of ideological sophistication and influence it lacked ten years ago. (Business Insider) To add on, Jayshree Bajoria, an Al Qaeda focused Journalist, said estimates range from several hundred to several thousand members(Council on Foreign

Relations). The many members and supporters of the Al Qaeda network sustain the groups activity and therefore, is a main aspect to why they still exist. Secondly, their financial means keep them powerful in a financial sense. In order to conduct attacks, they require a lot of money. As Fred Bruno, a criminal defense lawyer said the London transit bombings on July 7, 2005, only cost about $15,000 (Council on Foreign Relations). The AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) earn some of their money by smuggling between countries. A great deal of their smuggling actions include illegal drug trafficking. Another manner in which they earn their financial aid is through kidnapping. They kidnap tourists throughout the Sahara, most of which occur in areas such as Egypt, due to the historic attractiveness to travelers. To exemplify, they kidnapped 32 Austrian Tourists. After they kidnapped the tourists, they threatened Austria that they would kill them if no one would pay ransom. In this case, Austria payed the ransom, but in other cases the hostage keepers would kill the hostages. To add on, they get money through supporters. As mentioned before, Al Qaeda has many supporters who also support the group with money. Some Muslims have to support Al Qaeda otherwise they are considered Not Muslim anymore (AQIM Interview Podcast) and are seen as being against their faith. The money they get through their supports, though kidnapping and smuggling drugs is usually invested in bombs and other weapons for further attacks. Lastly, the access to weapons makes Al Qaeda able to attack certain targets. As mentioned earlier, the terrorist network has sufficient financial support that is invested in weapons and chemicals in order to bomb buildings for certain attacks. To begin with, when they were founded in 1988, they used weapons that they got from the United States when they were fighting in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. In addition, the AQIM gained thousands of weapons which went missing in the chaos in Libya. As Gilles de Kerchove, a senior European Official, announced: Due to the turmoil in Libya, members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have gained access to weapons, either small arms or machine-guns, or certain surface-to-air missiles which are extremely dangerous because they pose a risk to flights over the territory," (The Telegraph). Lastly, the United States declared publicly that Al Qaeda has a professionally trained bomb maker. As the US Senator said: I am hopeful that we will be able to, candidly, kill this bomb maker and kill some of these other associates, because there is a dangerous process in play at the present time (Haaretz World News). The
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access to weapons makes them powerful and is one of the most important aspects as to why they are such a great threat to the world. In conclusion, the terrorist network grew rapidly in the amount of members over the last ten years. Al Qaeda is still a threat to the world, because of their many supporters around the world, their financial means and their access to weapons and chemicals. Although, the death of Osama Bin Laden has shocked every member and supporter of the group, they still do exist and are more powerful than ever. I believe the Al Qaeda network will continue to grow and become even more powerful in the future.

Work Cited Page "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)." Britannica. 2012. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. May 2nd, 2012 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1592210/al-Qaeda-inthe-Arabian-Peninsula-AQAP/>. BBC- News. May 2012 BBC. May 4th, 2012 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world13296443>. "Al-Qaida bomb maker is top threat, must be killed, says U.S. senator." Haaretz World News 13 May 2012: Haaretz. May 13th, 2012 <http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/alqaida-bomb-maker-is-top-threat-must-be-killed-says-u-s-senator-1.430180>. "FBI chief in Yemen as drone kills AQAP leader." Swiss Info 24 April 2012: www.swissinfo.ch. 24 April 2012: May 2nd,2012 <http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/FBI_chief_in_Yemen_as_dron e_kills_AQAP_leader.html?cid=32545846>. "Libya: al-Qaeda acquires weapons." The Telegraph World 5 September 2011: The Telegraph. May 13th, 2012 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/alqaeda/8743276/Libya-al-Qaeda-acquires-weapons.html>. Ellis, John. "OBL May Be Dead, Al Qaeda is Stronger than ever." Business Insider Articles 1 May 2011: Business Insider. May 13th, 2012 <http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-05-01/politics/30086642_1_al-qaeda-tribalareas-arabian-peninsula>. Bruno, Fred. "Al Qaeda's Financial Pressure." CFR Terror 1 February 2010: Council on Foreign Relations. May 28th, 2012 <http://www.cfr.org/terrorist-organizations/al-qaedas-financialpressures/p21347>. Author Unknown, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Telephone interview. May 22nd, 2009.