Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin

Interview

05 May 2011, NewAgeIslam.Com

	It has been a Risky Venture. It was, after all, an Intrusion into Pakistani Territory’
	The possibility of another 9/11 are very low. But that does not mean the threat does not exist, and this needs to be understood through its current philosophy: one man, one bomb. And there are examples to validate this — last year there were two attempted attacks, one in Times Square in New York and the other in a New York subway. So the threat is random suicide bombings in Europe and the US. In fact, my fear would be attacks on Western military targets. -- Alia Allana

It has been a Risky Venture. It was, after all, an Intrusion into Pakistani Territory’

By Alia Allana May 03 2011, Senior Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, author of ‘Taliban’, ‘Jihad’ and ‘Descent into Chaos’, has extensively covered the Taliban and al-Qaeda. He spoke to Alia Allana about the killing of Osama bin Laden and its possible fallout, warning that an attempt may be made to create divisions between Pakistan and India through “another attack as horrendous as Mumbai 26/11”. Excerpts from the interview: Q: How does Osama bin Laden’s death impact the war in Afghanistan? The strategy will continue to remain the same. Yes, his death will lead to the usual suspects — some in the US Congress and the peace lobby — asking for reductions. In fact, the real novel development has been the US’s willingness to undertake such an operation. It has been a risky venture. It was after all an intrusion into Pakistani territory. Bin Laden was found hiding in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. What do you make of this? Historically Pakistan has been hesitant, it has refused to go out against al-Qaeda allies like the Haqqani network. That bin Laden was found in Abbottabad is not that much of a shock when you look towards the activities of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Immediately after 9/11, the LeT had helped hide many senior al-Qaeda figures in Pakistan’s cities and it is possible that bin Laden too received their assistance. One should remember that allies like the LeT are extremely valuable — they have close ties to the intelligence networks. How does bin Laden’s death affect the al-Qaeda network? Unquestionably, the death of Osama bin Laden is a blow to the terrorist network and hundreds of dedicated jihadis will be in mourning. I would not be surprised if many are swearing to give their lives in revenge. But al-Qaeda will continue to exist without bin Laden. It is no longer the highly centralised hierarchical system of yesteryear. One should note that there has been a shift in the network — rather than all orders and training being authorised by the top leaders, it is now a more amorphous outfit. What, if any, retaliatory attacks from al-Qaeda loyalists do you foresee? There are two parts to this question: the immediate neighbourhood and the West. Of course Afghanistan, where the franchise continues to command dedication, is at risk. But the real threat will be to Pakistan. Of late, al-Qaeda has had its base in Pakistan, despite the Pakistani authorities’ denials. Al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups may well be determined in launching a campaign in the memory of bin Laden. It does not stop there. Al-Qaeda and its allies may use this moment to create divisions between India and Pakistan through another attack as horrendous as Mumbai 26/11. What about the West? The possibility of another 9/11 are very low. But that does not mean the threat does not exist, and this needs to be understood through its current philosophy: one man, one bomb. And there are examples to validate this — last year there were two attempted attacks, one in Times Square in New York and the other in a New York subway. So the threat is random suicide bombings in Europe and the US. In fact, my fear would be attacks on Western military targets. The al-Qaeda franchise has grown over the years. What is the biggest challenge now? The rise of sleeper cells, their growth since 9/11 and their awakening. You see this particularly in Europe; just look at Germany and the arrest of the three Moroccans last week. They had been trained in the tribal areas. Those who live in Western societies may well be encouraged to spring into action now that bin Laden has been killed. But al-Qaeda itself faces challenges now with bin Laden’s death. Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi URL: http://newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamInterview_1.aspx?ArticleID=4581