Intelligence Organization within Al-Qaeda
The origin of Al-Qaeda dates back to 1988, a few years after the end of the Osama led soviet-afghan war (Abuza, 2002). It has been claimed that the founding of Al-Qaeda was further sparked by US governments involvement in the gulf war, an act which Osama saw as being against the fundamental teachings of the holy Koran (Henzel, 2005). The organization has since then gained much network and financial momentum thanks to support by other Islamic extremist movements as well as being harbored by politically unstable governments, such as the former Taliban led government in Afghanistan. .
However, since after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers, the US led war on terrorism has threatened the effective hierarchical functioning of Al-Qaeda. This is due to the increased US intelligence surveillance on their activities as well as the shut down of most of the financial sources for the group. Nevertheless, Al-Qaeda has been quite adaptive to American strategic threats. They have converted these threats to strategic advantages through engaging in decentralization of their operations to different locations with little or no institutional governances (Seib, 2008).
This paper seeks to accomplish the following
To discus Al-Qaeda as a terrorist organization. Within this context, the meaning, origin, and activities of Al-Qaeda are discussed.
To discuss intelligence organization of Al-Qaeda. Here the paper takes a look on why Al-Qaeda remains a major threat to the western nations and their allies even after the declaration of a worldwide war against terrorism by the US government.
Definition of Al-Qaeda, its origin and activities
Al-Qaeda and its origin
Al-Qaeda has been described as a federation of various Islamic groups involved in many different things, most of which are aimed against the West, Jews and Muslim government who do not conform to their ideologies (Abuza, 2002). In simple terms, Al-Qaeda can be described as an Islamic movement rather than an organization that seeks to protect the Islamic community from the influence of western civilization (Pike, 2006).
The founding of Al-Qaeda has been traced back to later 1988. The split of Osama Bin Laden with his Maktab al-Khidmat (MAK) cofounder Azzam is cited as the reason behind the founding of Al-Qaeda as a tool for overseeing the continuation of the work on Jihad. This move by Osama Bin Laden was supported by many MAK members forming its original and quite politically influential membership base.
Al-Qaeda has never had a specific home base for coordinating its operations, though, for a long time it has been hosted by the former Taliban led government in Afghanistan, forming its main ground of operations between 1996 and 2001 (Blanchard, 2005). However, the terrorism group has been known to have established and maintained various network cells particularly in Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Al-Qaeda has operated numerous recruiting and training camps in Sudan since its founding up to later 1995.
However, following the September 11th attacks in America and the subsequent US invasion in Afghanistan, Al-Qaedas hierarchical governance structure has been greatly compromised. Its operations are now perceived to be mainly acts of network cells whose operational authority, though in line with the core objectives of Al-Qaeda are rarely centralized.
Activities of Al-Qaeda
Since its formation, Al-Qaeda has been attributed with a number of terrorism activities. However, there are six major terrorism actions that have been executed by Al-Qaeda since its formation. It is notably clear from these attempts by the Al-Qaeda group that their biggest enemy is the American government. This is because four of the six attacks targeted the America nation andor its citizens.
The first terrorism attack was in 1992 in Yemen, which targeted American soldiers who were on their way to give famine relief aid to the war torn Somalia nation (Smith, 2002). However, no American was killed in the attack but a number of Yemen civilians death while other were injured. In 1993 Al-Qaeda lounged a truck bomb attack on the World Trade Center building in New York. This attempt was also not successful as it only killed six people and never broke the foundation of the building was it was intended.
1996 was marked with the groups attempt to assassinate Clinton while he was attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Manila (Smith, 2002). This was followed by the simultaneous bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania leading to the death of over 300 people. In 2000, Al-Qaeda attacked an American missile destroyer U.S.S.S Cole ship in Somalia killing 17 US servicemen and destroyed the vessel.
The peak of the Al-Qaeda terrorism activities occurred in 9112001 when they managed to bomb the World Trade Center and the Pentagon killing an approximated 3,000 people (Thomas, 2003). This attack involved deliberate flying of commercial airliners into the towers. It is also claimed that the action had also targeted the U.S. Capitol but the target plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
The group has also been involved in many other terrorist activities. However, most of these involve car bombings and suicidal bombing in civilian places. Though America and its allies is the main target by Al-Qaeda, most attacks have been executed in Islamic nations killing Islamic civilians.
How Al-Qaeda operates and their intelligence organization
Religious ideologies
Al-Qaeda has a strong religious ideology that can be traced from their interpretation of the holy Koran (MI, 2005). First, the group is thought of as a transitional Islamic movement which operates exclusively on perceived religious authority. They believe in the oneness of God and rejection of human reasoning, desire and logics in the realization of a just and fair human society (Abuza, 2002). It is because of this reason that their philosophy is based on the underlying provisions of the Koran and Sunna on Sharia laws. According to their interpretation of the holy Koran, Allah is the supreme legislator and human beings are prohibited from separating the church and the state.
In addition, Al-Qaeda group uses the religious ideologies that man made laws are a contradiction of divine governance (Thomas, 2003). They cite the holy Koran as being against innovation by man is it reduces the influence of Sharia in their spiritual lives, thus greatly compromising their chances of realizing purity. Any idea created outside the provisions of the Koran is therefore considered as sin against the oneness of God. Al-Qaeda cites modernization to be a source of usury such as capitalist system of governance and idolatry as influenced by the infidels (MI, 2005). They therefore call on Islamic militants to stem up their efforts against the violation of this set of principles by the infidels.
The other influence religious ideology used by the Al-Qaeda is the concept of Jihad (MI, 2005). Al-Qaeda interprets jihad as a modern political conception which sees suicide in defense of the Muslim community as a victory of death in Gods cause an expression of a communal devotion to Allah. Although suicide is a serious sin in Islamic faith, jihad holds less value for earthly life compared to Allah. Therefore, suicide attackers have a conviction that they are acting for the common good of the Muslim community, an element which makes their lives less important compared to devotion in Allah.
According to their training manual, the Al-Qaeda clearly emphasizes on the importance of believing on Allah and Mohammed his prophet. They cite many Islamic leaders who were cursed due to lack of belief. Based on these religious ideologies, Al-Qaeda is able to tap a great pool of volunteers to recruit for its activities.
Financial influence
Financial sustainability is the most important tool in realizing efficient executing of projects in an organization. Money can buy influence in almost all aspects of our lives. The Al-Qaeda group enjoys a great financial from its leader Osama Bin Laden. Existing evidence have claimed that Osamas financial influence has been a major reason behind his establishment of Al-Qaeda operation groups in most countries (Pike, 2006). A good example is the Al-Qaeda group in the Sudan nation in the early 1990s, where he invested heavily on the governments economy through establishment of companies and infrastructure constructions (Thomas, 2003).
Other than the financial capability of Bin Laden in the Al-Qaeda group, the group enjoys financial support from other Islamic nations and independent individuals. Organizations like the Al-Haramain and Holy Land Foundations for example have been closely linked with funding Al-Qaeda. Nations such as Yemen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Iran among others are also associated with funding of the group (Abuza, 2002).
Nevertheless, the Al-Qaeda organization has been found to have many business investments ranging from low income to highly sophisticated ones. An example is the claim that the organization owns some Boeing 727 airplanes for cargo transportation (Seib, 2008). They also own executive planes and big investments such as export and import firms, banks and construction companies in many nations. This gives the group reliable source of funds for managing its activities.
Although the financial influence of the group as been significantly compromised due to shut down of most of its financial sources after the September 11 attack in America, the group had previously managed to influence much support from other Islamic groups. Just to demonstrate its financial influence is the example of the Egypt Islamic extremist groups, the Egyptian al-Gamaat al-Islamiyya and the Egyptian al-Jihad, who associate with Al-Qaeda mainly for financial support.
Cooperation with other organized crime groups
The most difficult task for the war on Al-Qaeda lies in its lack of a well known operational structure identity. The group has been evidently involved in executing its attack plans through other organized crime or Islamic groups who share the same ideologies. Such groups are mainly the Sunni extremist networks in the Islamic nations who are well known for their call to implement the Sharia law in Islamic nations (Henzel, 2005).
Still, it has been established that most of its recent attacks on western nations are largely executed by non-Muslims. Based on this it is quite clear that they are using different identities for realizing their mission against the infidels (James, 2006). It is to be noted here that after the September 11 attack in America, Al-Qaeda has faced much restrictions to its operations. Indeed, security checks and intelligence is a major involvement of most western nations against any Muslim entering or living in their land. This is what has led to the use of other criminal groups mainly local ones to execute terrorism.
According to investigation reports on organized crime groups and terrorism, the American government has found a great potential of sustaining unforeseeable terrorist attack if American organized crime groups decide to team up with Al-Qaeda. Intelligence officials have claimed that most of the recent activities of the group are involving newly converted Islam members and the number of women involved is on the increase. Such a move minimizes chances of suspicion for most Al-Qaeda members.
Flexibility in their mission objectives
Flexibility from their core mission is a tactic the Al-Qaeda group has evidently employed. All through its lifetime, the group has constantly changed in the quest to adapt its mission of fighting their core enemy the western and their allies. This act has been seen as a good tool in appealing more recruits and attracting new allies (James, 2006). It is this that has made it hard to detect and therefore destroy them.
According to existing testimonies from some members of the group, the main motivation for recruiting is to make the world a better place rather than to engage in terrorism related activities. However, over time, leaders and militants turn their humiliation into weapons against their perceived enemies. Such flexibilities have also been attributed to the increased grievances by the militants leading to greed for status and political power control in the society (Thomas, 2003).
The Al-Qaeda organization has many decentralized groups who are literally independent in their operations. It has been claimed that flexibility to core objective is usually seen as a survival mechanism (Pike, 2006). Some groups switch to new involvement after the completion of their first one. They also employ broadening of mission objectives as a tool for ensuring sustainable recruiting advantage. The group also can undergo transformation into profit making organizations thus attracting new allies. Al-Qaeda is associated with conducting import and export business, mainly on the black market. Such involvements with other crime groups help in adapting more secure modes of executing their plans.
Political power influence
Political influence has marked the successful establishment of the Al-Qaeda organization. This can be traced back to the early 1980s involvement of the group with the American government during the Soviet Union afghan war. It is quite clear from the existing historical information that the US government invested heavily in the training and supplying of weapons to the Osama led war against Soviet Unions occupation in Afghanistan (Smith, 2002). It is to be noted here that the fight against any crime in a nation is highly dependent on its political will. Therefore, with a strong political influence in the affairs of a nation, organized crime organizations like the Al-Qaeda can sufficiently continue executing their plans.
Another political influence act that saw the successful establishment of the Al-Qaeda group is evident from the many years Osama stayed in Sudan. Due to his financial advantage to the Sudanese nation, Osama enjoyed a competitive political advantage which saw his establishment of numerous training camps in the nation as well as recruiting more members into the group (Smith, 2002). Still, due to such influence, the organization was able to find settlement in Sudan for its members. This led to the establishment of a strong pool of Al-Qaeda militants in Africa.
The peak of Al-Qaeda and its political influence were witnessed in the Afghanistan and Iraq nations during the Taliban and Hussein regime. It was during these regimes that the organization managed to recruit and train most of its members (MI5, 2005). Still to be stated here is the fact that during these regimes the organization enjoyed unlimited advantage for acquisition of weapons as well as free flow of financial and human resources.
However, it is clearly evident from the complexity of the Al-Qaeda organization that it still enjoys much political cushioning from most Islamic governments. These include Pakistan, Yemen, Iran and the war torn republic of Somalia among others. This is what makes the war against the terrorism group quite hard as most Islamic nations are not willing to identify its members.
Proficiency in training and weapon acquisition
Due to the hardships entailed in the activities of Al-Qaeda, age or psychological maturity is quite important (James, 2006). This strategic selection mode for trainees reduces chances of revelation of the secrets of the organization. It is to be noted here that the psychologically mature can endure to live to their commitment never to communicate of their other members to the enemy.
The training of Al-Qaeda members is based on religious ideologies and Islamic convictions which are highly addictive in nature (Abuza, 2002). Though many join the due to its mission statement in support for realizing a better world, training instills a conviction that converts them to perceive terrorism as a passionate career. It is by identifying and emphasizing on the immorality that the infidels and their allies have brought to the Islamic community that the group finds reliable support from its members.
Just to be noted is the fact that members are prohibited from revealing the plans of the group even to non-targeted members group (Seib, 2008). This makes the involvements of the organization quite secretive, a factor which greatly leads to their numerous terrorist attacks which go undetected. Such requirements during training hinder any chances of ever getting reliable information on the leadership structures of the organization. Still required is the use of forged documents by its members, thus compromising chances of realizing actual identities by intelligence agents while in terrorism activities (MI5, 2005).
The organization has been marked with high levels of intelligence in its acquisition of arms and ammunitions. With well established politically and financially influential networks, Al-Qaeda can easily gain access to a substantial base of weapon for executing its activities. However, such links have to some extent been greatly compromised by the ongoing US led anti-terrorism war.
Use of war torn nations as their backyards for recruiting and training members
War torn nations are a loophole for the ease propagation of criminal activities in any society. From the existing evidence, it is quite clear that Al-Qaeda has successfully employed this philosophy in realizing its mission. This can be traced from its finding in Afghanistan during the Soviet Union war to the many years stay in the then war torn Sudan (Seib, 2008). It is to be noted here that the war in Sudan greatly helped in the organization and networking of the Al-Qaeda group into a multinational organization.
Still, even after the ant-Taliban war in Afghanistan that led to the weakening of the groups operational strengths, the group is still more pronounced in war stricken nations. Such include Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, and Sudan among other (Abuza, 2002). The high presence of Al-Qaeda in nations marked with constant civil conflicts is first due to the lack of strong political confrontations. This can also be attributed to high levels of insecurity which aids in easy acquisition of weapons by the group, a factor which gives Al-Qaeda a competitive advantage compared to other terrorist organizations.
Engagement in psychological war
The ultimate success in any battle relies on the long term impact of the engagement to the target group. The Al-Qaeda organization has always used this war strategy in its terror activities against their perceived enemies (Thomas, 2003). Almost all their attacks lead to numerous deaths of civilians and targeted group members as well as massive property destruction. This makes both the general public and the target population fear the group, an element which means increased ease of submission into the requirements of the group.
As an example in support of this tactic is the September 11th 2001 bomb attack on the Twins Tower America which led to the death of an estimated 30,000 people. Such an inhuman activity by the Al-Qaeda group has left the citizens of America live in fear. It is also to be noted that psychological war is a good tool in weakening the economic prosperity of their enemy. Just to be cited here is the big federal government allocation to the department of internal security and war against terrorism since the September 11 attacks. This expenditure cannot be paralleled with economic development if such terrorist threats were not eminent in the US nation.
Wide spread Islamic ideologies
The underlying objective behind the existence of Al-Qaeda in the human community is to free the Islamic community from what they call immoral leadership brought by the western nations (MI5, 2005). According to the Islamic faith convictions, the Sharia law is supreme and must not be compromised by man made laws as is the case in most western economies. The ideology that western civilization is a sin against the realization of the oneness of God has marked most of the Al-Qaeda strong influence to Muslims.
Al-Qaeda asserts that the presence of the enemy and their allies in their nations hinders the ultimate realization of equitable justice in the society. This is first cited in the western concept of capitalist economic systems. It is to be noted that capitalistic systems are perceived to be a reason for compromising the intelligence of the Islamic community to defend their land from exploitation. To be stated here is the fact that Islamic nations enjoy the presence of most of the world petroleum resources which according to Al-Qaeda should equitably benefit Muslims.
Civilization has also been seen to compromise the quality of Islam. Just to state is the question of prostitution, shaving of hair by women and showing of body parts by women in the public (Pike, 2006). All these are a contradiction of the requirements of the holy Korans. It is based on all these Islamic ideologies that Al-Qaeda receives much support from strong Muslim faith believers in the community.
Last is the requirement for recruiting members who are ready to adhere to the underlying ideologies of the organization. It is to be noted that by having like minded individuals, the realization of success is quite easy. Still, this requirement ensures that militants are free from any form of conceptual problems with regard to the involvements of the Al-Qaeda group.
Decentralization of group operations
Since the September 11th attacks and its subsequent consequences, the Al-Qaeda group has changed its strategic approach from hierarchical to a network one (Abuza, 2002). By so doing, Al-Qaeda has turned the constraints put by the US nation into strategic advantages. This has been realized through decentralization of its operations with minimal inner core reliance for executing attacks.
According to recent reports by US intelligence department, the Al-Qaeda group principles have changed significantly. The organization is now divided into many territorial groups spread in almost every part of the world. It is to be understood that such a strategy is highly effective as it results in localized attacks which are much easier to execute.
Another strategy is that of disappearance of core hierarchical control in the group (Blanchard, 2005). With the high intensity of attacks by the US on the Al-Qaeda, it is logically true that sticking to a hierarchical system of organization could easily compromise its chances of long term existence. However, without an institutional structure as is the case in Al-Qaeda today helps localized members to execute their plans more successfully.
Communication and Media propaganda
Effective communication among the various members of Al-Qaeda is quite important for ensuring clear coordination in executing terrorism activities. However, due to the high secrecy required in their involvement, high degree of care is paramount to reduce suspicion. It is due to this reason that the Al-Qaeda group is marked with limited telephone communications (Henzel, 2005). However, whenever a must to use phone communication it must by made fast and to the point. Still, distortion of communication voices is required to reduce suspicion.
Another method for communication is face to face communication. This is the safest but is usually economical among members of a localized territorial group of Al-Qaeda. It is however to be stated that over the past few years, Al-Qaeda has increasingly used the internet as a key communication tool (James, 2006). This is because it is much safer compared to telephone communication. It is also more reliable and effective as it can be used to conduct andor inspire many terror attacks at once.
Al-Qaeda is found to finance camp of the sword and the voice of jihad internet based publications. These two publications are aimed at giving instructions on conducting attacks as well as increasingly calling for the Muslim community to engage in terrorist activities (Henzel, 2005). These sites also contain videos newscasts retaliating on the concerns of the Al-Qaeda community in the world and how such will be realized.
Al-Qaeda has been established to use media propaganda as a way of testing the competence of their opponents. A good example on this is the many claims of planed attacks in a given nation which go unfulfilled. It is here to be noted that most of the purportedly claimed attacks are never conducted on the mentioned sites. Such moves are quite instrumental in reducing attack opposition by the enemy.
Spying on their enemies
Spying the enemy is part of the objectives of all members of Al-Qaeda. This is because it establishes clear knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. It has however been evident that the spying activities for the Al-Qaeda group are not only conducted by its members but also by a chain of loyal allies including intelligence officials based in the target population (Abuza, 2002). This is what makes their targets quite specific and to the surprise of many in the community.
The internet is another important intelligence spying and terrorism attacking tool. Hacking and malicious computer programs serve not only to collect crucial information about the enemy such as passwords to confidential database storages but also act to corrupt the contents of the databases (Pike, 2006). It is indeed a direct result of the potential threat internet terrorism has that the Patriotic Act of 2001 saw increased government power on internet surveillance.
Conclusion
Al-Qaeda is evidently a major security threat to the world as a whole. Despite the disruption of its activities by the American government since the September 11th attacks, the group still shows strong potential of executing terrorism activities. This has been closely attributed to its high degree of adaptation by making the American strategic constraints their strategic advantage. The group has evidently decentralized its operation to network cells which are autonomous in operation. This has given the impression of institutional command disappearance, a factor which complicates the process of identifying and destroying Al-Qaeda.
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