Since al-Qaeda (Group Profile) has dispersed into isolated regional groups, it is increasingly difficult to determine the relationship between the core al-Qaeda leadership and the proliferating autonomous or semi-autonomous cells, franchises, splinters, and inspired groups. Determining the nature of these relationships in light of a recent attack is absolutely vital. Very little has been done as of yet to attribute specifically the Sinai attacks of last month (Terrorist Incident). Three groups claiming responsibility (See October 27, 2004 WAR Report). The attacks have been ascribed to ?al-Qaeda,? by all but the Egyptian government, which claims that the attacks were carried out by a localized group of Sinai Bedouins led by a Palestinian. Although both governments have political reasons for their respective claims, the truth is probably closer to a fusion of the two theories. Following a pattern established in the operational execution of attacks in Kenya (Terrorist Incident, Terrorist Incident, and Terrorist Incident), Madrid (Terrorist Incident), and Turkey (Terrorist Incident and Terrorist Incident), the Sinai attacks appear to have been carried out by locals who were funded, trained, and directed tactically by al-Qaeda members. However, with the Egyptian authorities refusing to admit to the possibility of an al-Qaeda connection (because that would require admitting an al-Qaeda presence in Egypt, and because it would further damage Egypt?s tourist sector), the United States, Israel, and other western and Muslim targets of al-Qaeda aggression are missing out on a crucial opportunity to update themselves on al-Qaeda?s ever-evolving operational and tactical strategies.

Terrorist attacks have, in the past, brought victims together. Not so with Egypt and Israel. The Egyptian Interior Ministry has already blamed Israel, saying that Israel?s actions in Gaza provoked the attacks. Egypt has denied al-Qaeda involvement, in advance of a thorough investigation and in the face of Israeli evidence to the contrary. The question of how Sinai Bedouins, one of the poorest demographics in an already poor country, carried out such well-funded attacks has gone unanswered, as has why the attacks so resemble previous al-Qaeda attacks.