Courcy’s Intelligence Brief

*** Al-Qaeda activities.  A number of reports in the past week are a reminder of the continuing range of al-Qaeda’s activities.  The first comes from Germany, where security sources say that coded electronic files found in the possession of a suspected al-Qaeda terrorist who is to go on trial in Berlin on 25 January include an al-Qaeda strategy document that talks about a “war of attrition”.  Other documents are said to discuss the taking of hostages and the use of toxic substances.  According to the German sources, the strategy paper was drafted by al-Qaeda leadership in the Pakistan-Afghanistan area and it calls for a combination of smaller and larger attacks intended to “drive the enemy to despair”.  The key purpose is to force reprisals by security forces which, in turn, will lead to a greater marginalization of Muslims and drive them to join the jihadist struggle.

Separately, sources in Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 islands situated off West Africa, say that the islands have become a recruiting ground for al-Qaeda.  It is said that Cape Verdean converts to Islam are being radicalized and joining al-Qaeda.  Mosques are being used to recruit radicals, and from there they are being sent on to The Gambia for further radicalization and then to camps in Yemen.  It is said that Cape Verde is part of al-Qaeda’s strategy of extending its influence in Africa with a view to targeting Europe.

In Norway, terrorism experts say that Scandinavia has become a top terrorist target, with around 100 Muslim extremists thought to be active in Norway.  Brynjar Lia from Norway’s Defence Research Institute says: “They are becoming more, and they are striving to recruit young persons who, because of varying resons, are searching for a religion and an ideology.”  Magnus Ranstorp of the Swedish Defence College says that the connections with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia have “escalated in recent years” and that “people who are behind this are higher up in the various networks”.

Back in the heartland, the al-Qaeda forces who took control of the Yemeni town of Rada on 15 January apparently did so in coordination with security services loyal to President Ali Abdallah Saleh.  Also in Yemen, Maj-Gen Ghasi Ahmed Ali, director of security in Aden, said that “Al-Qaeda operates in front of everyone while security officials sit in their homes.”  On 23 January, there were conflicting reports that al-Qaeda militants had taken over Al-Habilayn.  In Turkey, on 17 January, six al-Qaeda suspects were arrested in Adana apparently intending to poison the water supply at the Konya air base.

*** PNA Security forces in anti-Israel demonstrations.  Israeli sources say that Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security forces are increasingly implicated in anti-Israeli demonstrations.  A senior IDF officer was quoted this week as confirming that the PNA is enabling the participation of security officers.  The IDF officer said: “We believe that the PNA is financing the protests, but it is new that security officers are involved.”