The commentary from intelligence officials with knowledge of the ongoing Madrid train bombing investigations reveal fascinating information on the complexion of the cell and its relationship to the al-Qaeda leadership. This data adds compelling evidence to support repeated TRC analyses that have described the threat posed by a more atomized al-Qaeda movement.
According to the intelligence officials quoted in the AP article, the cell that conducted the Madrid bombing had no operational connection to al-Qaeda?s leadership but rather was a ?homegrown? cell that was inspired to conduct the attack allegedly in response to an Osama bin Laden communiqu? in October 2003 that called for attacks against European nations that had supported the US-led invasion of Iraq . This description underscores earlier TRC analyses that characterized al-Qaeda as evolving into a globally diffuse, jihadist movement comprised of atomized, operationally amoebic, and adaptive constellations of al-Qaeda-inspired and affiliated cells, groups, and networks that are guided in strategic terms by al-Qaeda leadership communiqu?s. At the leading edge of this expansion seems to be what can be ?vanguard outpost? cells that have little to no operational connection to al-Qaeda but are rallied by al-Qaeda ideology and strategic guidance communiqu?s to conduct autonomous and entrepreneurial operations in the service of al-Qaeda?s professed general strategic goals and against targets identified by the al-Qaeda leadership.
To this point, the above findings underscore in particular the TRC analysis of the Madrid bombings one day after the attacks , which hypothesized:
It is of greater likelihood that the bombings were the work not of organic Al Qaeda operatives, but rather regional and local Islamic extremist terrorist cadres associated with or inspired by Al Qaeda?s jihadist ideology, and modeling their terrorist attack modus operandi on Al Qaeda mass casualty terrorism. Should this be the case, it would represent further evidence of the evolving nature of Al Qaeda terrorism from attacks perpetrated by the organic ranks of Al Qaeda to terrorism now conducted by a nebulous and metastasizing movement of regional and local Al Qaeda affiliate and/or freelancing terrorist groups around the world all inspired by Al Qaeda?s virulent jihadist ideology but not necessarily directed by Al Qaeda?s core leadership, and at times possibly receiving operational advice, and financial and material assistance from Al Qaeda.
That the cell allegedly utilized bomb-making instructions found on jihadist websites?and that similarly engineered bombs were used in the 2002 Bali bombings ?also emphasizes the profound effect the Internet and cyber medium is having in serving not only as a vehicle for the transmission of al-Qaeda ideology and leadership communiqu?s that provide inspiration and strategic guidance to the al Qaeda movement, but also in serving as a resource for the proliferation of terrorist tradecraft and weapons engineering expertise and instructions across the global al-Qaeda network. For more information on jihadist use of the Internet, please read the series of Terror Web Watch reports.
With the information revealed from the investigation, it would seem that the Madrid bombings represented the opening salvo of what is likely to be a movement of entrepreneurial attacks conducted by the ?vanguard outpost? cells and affiliate groups of the al-Qaeda network around the world. The attack, for which the second anniversary was celebrated last weekend, in particular, highlights the threat these actors pose to Europe.
