Author:
Publication: Sify News
Date: October 11, 2004
URL: http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13587379
US security officials believe that
Al Qaeda, which had earlier recruited only Arabs, is now recruiting people
from other ethnic groups, including many Pakistanis.
According to the Dawn, the latest
Qaeda recruitment drive is aimed at not only bolstering the terrorist network's
manpower, but also at preventing various intelligence agencies to monitor
their activities more effectively.
The modus operandi too has changed
with the organization choosing to operate in small independent groups of
10 or less members, thereby creating an operational command that keeps
on working even if there is bust.
Pakistani police officials cite
the example of one such group headed by Attaur Rehman and nine of his accomplices
charged with carrying out a deadly attack on the Corps Commander Karachi
in June.
Although the group named Jundullah
receives orders from senior Al Qaeda leaders, it has no direct association
with the Al Qaeda or any other group associated with the network. As a
result of this, the arrest of Rehman and his accomplices could not lead
police to other Al Qaeda cells.
Pakistani officials say that many
of the new members are also recruited from other Pakistani and Kashmiri
militant groups such as Al-Badr, Harakatul Mujahideen, Jaish-i- Mohammed,
and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.
The report further says that despite
not having any direct access to top Al Qaeda leadership, the jihadis, depending
on their personal performance, receive as much as 170 to 340 dollars a
month.
The paper quoted a senior Karachi
police investigator as saying that as a matter of policy, the Al Qaeda
leaders rely on trusted contacts and preferably recruit people who have
fought alongside Arabs or otherwise have been trained by them.
ANI
