Al-Qaeda The Threat Today

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Al-QaedaThe Threat Today

• Chuck Feer
• Criminal Justice Dept.
• Bakersfield College

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Introduction

• Al-Qaeda has a worldwide reach serving as the
  unbrella organization for a worldwide network
  that includes many Islamic groups.
• The have become less of an organization and more
  of an order.
• They provide ideological guidance to
  semi-autonomous cells around the world, that are
  loosely tied to each other.
• The shadowy network of cells recruits Islamist
  extremists, trains them and sends them to attack
  U.S. western interests.

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Osama bin Laden

• May be in hiding, but experts believe that
  Al-Qaeda remains fully capable of, and determined
  to kill large numbers of Westerners and disrupt
  the global economy.
• Al-Qaeda will do so by orchestrating attacks
  worldwide, by recruiting local groups of fanatics
  to do so.

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Al-Qaedas Influence

• Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) rules a
  wide, lawless area of the Sahara and is trying to
  overthrow Algerias government.
• AQIM is suspected of kidnapping several French
  nationals and Africans from Niger.
• Kidnapping for Ransom is a major source of
  funding.

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Al-Qaedas Influence

• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Yemen,
  has an English-language publication Inspire
  Magazine.
• Urges Muslims in western countries to carry out
  random terrorist attacks.

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Al-Qaeda Threat

• FBI Director Robert Mueller explains that groups
  and individuals inspired by Al-Qaeda are
  switching to smaller scale attacks.

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Al-Qaeda Threat

• Child Suicide Attack
• Suicide bomber believed to be 12 15 years old
  killing 31 soldiers and injured 40 others in
  northwestern Pakistan.
• Al-Qaeda linked Taliban claimed responsibility.
• The poor cannot afford to send children to
  school, so they enroll them in extremist
  religious schools Madrassas
• Glorious path to heaven.

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Al-Qaeda Threat

• Australian Crime Commission reports that
  terrorists are using similar techniques to drug
  traffickers and other criminals which shows a
  link to organized crime.

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Al-Qaeda

• South American drug gangs are providing funding
  to terrorists by paying Al Qaeda in the Islamic
  Maghreb (AQIM) to ensure the safe passage of
  cocaine across North Africa.

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Anwar al Awlaki

• American Citizen (born in New Mexico).
• Living in Yemen (moves around constantly)
• Islamic Scholar radicalizes and incites
  American Muslims to commit terrorist acts.
• Several terror attacks where the terrorist said
  they were influenced by his lectures, writings
  and videos downloaded from the internet.

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Conclusion

• Based on disrupted plots, D.H.S. (TSA) assesses
  that AQ have demonstrated a continuing desire,
  intent and capability to attack the Homeland
  including mass transit systems.
• Most likely may be passenger rail cars or
  stations.
• Terrorists will most likely utilize improvised
  explosive devices (IEDs) or conduct armed
  assaults.