Attacks show al-Qaeda is back

THE carefully choreographed attacks in Saudi Arabia and Morocco, with planned strikes against British targets in Kenya, suggests that al-Qaeda has revived its terrorist network, intelligence officers say. The spate of bombings is seen as the group’s way of proving that it is back in business. President Bush described the attacks as a wake-up call and the priority for Western security agencies is to track down whoever is co-ordinating al-Qaeda’s new offensive. American officials suspect Saif al-Adel, a veteran al-Qaeda commander, who they claim is sheltering in Iran. They also claim that Osama bin Laden’s son, Saad, is there, with his head of training and several other key survivors from the war in Afghanistan. However, the Government in Tehran has dismissed the claims, describing them as Washington’s attempt to justify the Mr Bush’s description of Iran as part of an “axis of evil”. US security officials blame al-Adel for ordering the attacks last week on three residential compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and say that he is now al-Qaeda’s third-in-command. The rejuvenated leadership of bin Laden’s network has had to change tactics. As they no longer has a safe haven in Afghanistan, members operate on the run. Full Story