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| Al-Qaeda’s global base is Pakistan: Petraeus |
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Sunday, May 10, 2009
WASHINGTON: Senior leaders of al-Qaeda are using sanctuaries in Pakistan’s lawless frontier regions to plan new terror attacks and funnel money, manpower and guidance to affiliates around the world, according to a top American military commander.
Gen David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in an interview that Pakistan has become the nerve centre of al-Qaeda’s global operations, allowing the terror group to re-establish its organisational structure and build stronger ties to al-Qaeda offshoots in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and parts of Europe.
The comments underscore a growing US belief that Pakistan has replaced Afghanistan as al-Qaeda’s main stronghold.
“It is the headquarters of the al-Qaeda senior leadership,” said the general, who took the helm of the military’s Central Command last fall.
In the interview, Gen Petraeus also warned of difficult months ahead in Afghanistan, saying the Taliban militants are moving weapons and forces into areas where the US is adding troops, planning a “surge” of their own to counter the US plan.
The commander said the US had intelligence showing that the Taliban were deploying new fighters to southern Afghanistan, appointing new local commanders, and prepositioning weapons and other supplies.
“We have every expectation that the Taliban will fight to retain the sanctuaries and safe havens that they’ve been able to establish,” he said.
“US officials once believed that years of strikes had broken al-Qaeda’s leadership into smaller, less effective splinter groups. But in the interview, Gen Petraeus said US intelligence information suggested that al-Qaeda has re-emerged as a centrally directed organisation capable of helping to plan attacks in other countries. “There is a degree of hierarchy, there is a degree of interconnection, and there is certainly a flow of people, money, expertise, explosives and knowledge,” he said.
Gen Petraeus painted a picture of a globalised al-Qaeda that maintains extensive logistical and communications links to terror groups in Morocco, Somalia and other countries.
He said militants and supplies pass through southern Iran, helped by Sunni Arab “facilitators” in the predominantly Shia Persian country. A ring of Tunisian suicide bombers who were recently apprehended in Iraq appear to have received their directions from al-Qaeda figures in Pakistan as well, he said. “There’s absolutely no question about these links,” he said.
Gen Petraeus said the Pakistani Taliban appear to have overreached by sending fighters into the Buner District, just 60 miles from the capital. Echoing recent comments from top Obama administration officials, he said Pakistan’s government, military and people seemed to have finally accepted that the Taliban pose a threat to their country’s future and must be dealt with.
“There’s a sense of collective determination to respond forcefully,” he said. “The Taliban challenged the very writ of the Pakistani government, and that’s being taken very seriously.” Still, he said it was too soon to gauge the full magnitude or duration of the Pakistani response.
Separately, CIA chief Leon Panetta has said the clear position taken by Pakistan political and military leadership against militancy and terrorism reflects Pakistan seriousness in dealing with the menace.
Talking to media persons, the CIA chief said the meetings with ISI chief Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha and other Pakistani officials proved fruitful while the tripartite summit and interagency negotiations were also productive.
He said the recent talks between Pakistan and the United States would further boost partnership between the two countries, saying the US has confidence in abilities of Pakistan intelligence agencies and technology and equipment would be provided to them to further improve their performance.
The CIA chief emphasised terrorism is a common challenge for all of us and assistance would be provided to Pakistan in all sectors.
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