Al Qaeda Moving Closer to Major Attack on Israel, Expert Says
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - While it is still not clear whether al Qaeda operatives in Iraq carried out recent rocket attacks against northern Israel, the terror group plans to launch major attacks against the Jewish State in the near future, a leading expert here said.
Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for firing three Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon into the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona two weeks ago. The attacks caused extensive damage but no injuries.
On Monday, an audio recording attributed to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, al Qaeda's top man in Iraq, said Osama bin Laden himself gave the orders to fire the rockets at northern Israel last month.
There was no confirmation that the voice on the website is indeed that of al Zarqawi, but the recording was placed on a website used by al Zarqawi's group, Organization of al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. (Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for massive bombings and abductions and beheadings of foreigners in Iraq. His current stated goal is to drive the U.S. and its allies out of Iraq.)
The voice on the recording said the rockets fired from south Lebanon at Israelis (whom he called "the ancestors of monkeys and pigs") "were only the start of a blessed in-depth strike against the Zionist enemy" and had been given "on the instructions" of Osama bin Laden.
Israel initially blamed a Palestinian group - the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command -- and targeted a PFLP-GC training base in Lebanon in retaliation.
But the PFLP-GC denied any involvement in the rocket attack, and a day later al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility on a website used by the group.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said last week that Israel was taking the al Qaeda claim seriously. Mofaz said Palestinian organizations in south Lebanon supplied the physical infrastructure for groups like Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda to act against Israel.
Matter of time
In general, the policy and strategy of al Qaeda is eventually to carry out attacks against Israel. "It's a matter of time. Now it's closer than before," said Dr. Yoram Kahati of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center near Tel Aviv.
Al Qaeda in Iraq previously has said that when it finishes in Iraq, it will launch attacks in neighboring countries, namely Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
But Israel is enemy number one for the group, Kahati said.
Kahati referred to a book written in Arabic and published this past summer, in which the author, Jordanian journalist Fuad Hussein, laid out al-Qaeda's long-term strategy.
"Israel is supposed to be the target [sometime between] 2006-2010...I assume our turn will come. In their mind, [they believe] it will," said Kahati.
Kahati said there are number of signs indicating that al Qaeda may soon set its sights on Israel.
In claiming responsibility for the November suicide bombings in Jordan, al Qaeda threatened to harm the Jewish State.
Al Qaeda said it was targeting "Jews and Crusaders" when it carried out suicide bombings at three hotels in Amman; and it threatened further action against Israel.
In statements claiming responsibility for recent rocket attacks on northern Israel, the perpetrators -- supposedly al Qaeda -- threatened that there was "worse to come," Kahati said.
He added it is not clear how the Palestinian terror groups would react to an al Qaeda presence here. Hamas, for instance considers al Qaeda attacks inspiring; but on the other hand the group would not want someone else stealing the limelight, Kahati said.
Earlier, al-Zarqawi said that when his group finished in Iraq, it would head for the al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is a prominent rallying point for enlisting masses of Muslims in actions against Israel.
"It looks like their vision is developing [and] coming through step by step," said Kahati. "It's very worrying."
In the website posting this week, al-Zarqawi (or a voice claiming to be his) said there are two conditions for ending jihad (holy war) in the world.
"First, chase out the invaders from our territory in Palestine, in Iraq and everywhere in Islamic land," he said.
"Second, install sharia (Islamic religious law) on the entire Earth and spread Islamic justice there...The attacks will not cease until after the victory of Islam and the setting up of sharia," he said.
Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for firing three Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon into the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona two weeks ago. The attacks caused extensive damage but no injuries.
On Monday, an audio recording attributed to Abu Musab al Zarqawi, al Qaeda's top man in Iraq, said Osama bin Laden himself gave the orders to fire the rockets at northern Israel last month.
There was no confirmation that the voice on the website is indeed that of al Zarqawi, but the recording was placed on a website used by al Zarqawi's group, Organization of al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. (Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for massive bombings and abductions and beheadings of foreigners in Iraq. His current stated goal is to drive the U.S. and its allies out of Iraq.)
The voice on the recording said the rockets fired from south Lebanon at Israelis (whom he called "the ancestors of monkeys and pigs") "were only the start of a blessed in-depth strike against the Zionist enemy" and had been given "on the instructions" of Osama bin Laden.
Israel initially blamed a Palestinian group - the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command -- and targeted a PFLP-GC training base in Lebanon in retaliation.
But the PFLP-GC denied any involvement in the rocket attack, and a day later al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility on a website used by the group.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said last week that Israel was taking the al Qaeda claim seriously. Mofaz said Palestinian organizations in south Lebanon supplied the physical infrastructure for groups like Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda to act against Israel.
Matter of time
In general, the policy and strategy of al Qaeda is eventually to carry out attacks against Israel. "It's a matter of time. Now it's closer than before," said Dr. Yoram Kahati of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center near Tel Aviv.
Al Qaeda in Iraq previously has said that when it finishes in Iraq, it will launch attacks in neighboring countries, namely Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
But Israel is enemy number one for the group, Kahati said.
Kahati referred to a book written in Arabic and published this past summer, in which the author, Jordanian journalist Fuad Hussein, laid out al-Qaeda's long-term strategy.
"Israel is supposed to be the target [sometime between] 2006-2010...I assume our turn will come. In their mind, [they believe] it will," said Kahati.
Kahati said there are number of signs indicating that al Qaeda may soon set its sights on Israel.
In claiming responsibility for the November suicide bombings in Jordan, al Qaeda threatened to harm the Jewish State.
Al Qaeda said it was targeting "Jews and Crusaders" when it carried out suicide bombings at three hotels in Amman; and it threatened further action against Israel.
In statements claiming responsibility for recent rocket attacks on northern Israel, the perpetrators -- supposedly al Qaeda -- threatened that there was "worse to come," Kahati said.
He added it is not clear how the Palestinian terror groups would react to an al Qaeda presence here. Hamas, for instance considers al Qaeda attacks inspiring; but on the other hand the group would not want someone else stealing the limelight, Kahati said.
Earlier, al-Zarqawi said that when his group finished in Iraq, it would head for the al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is a prominent rallying point for enlisting masses of Muslims in actions against Israel.
"It looks like their vision is developing [and] coming through step by step," said Kahati. "It's very worrying."
In the website posting this week, al-Zarqawi (or a voice claiming to be his) said there are two conditions for ending jihad (holy war) in the world.
"First, chase out the invaders from our territory in Palestine, in Iraq and everywhere in Islamic land," he said.
"Second, install sharia (Islamic religious law) on the entire Earth and spread Islamic justice there...The attacks will not cease until after the victory of Islam and the setting up of sharia," he said.
posted by Marko at 1/10/2006 08:45:00 AM
<< Home