With local funds, local teams and local agendas, a limited war on a worldwide scale is being waged against the United States and its allies by groups that have distanced themselves from Osama bin Laden’s International Islamic Front (IIF) so as to act independently. The suicide attacks in Casablanca in Morocco on the night of May 16 that claimed 41 lives are the latest manifestation of this, while more such incidents can be expected. Asia Times Online investigations suggest that over the past year and a half experience has taught the IIF – a coalition of militant groups worldwide – that a central leadership and command structure is too risky to operate – especially as many key al-Qaeda leaders – the traditional driving force of the IIF – have already been arrested. Al-Qaeda had a complex system for conducting operations. Its military committee would plan an operation, including the identification of targets, financial coordination with sponsors and selection of the team to carry out the task. The case was then presented to al-Qaeda’s religious committee, which either approved or rejected it. If approved, it was forwarded to central command, which gave the final nod. This process required extensive coordination, and exposed many leaders and channels, especially the financial ones, which have been hard hit in the global “war against terror”. Full Story
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