COURTING AL-QAEDA
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the late, unlamented architect of the sectarian violence that has plagued Iraq for the past two years, was reportedly approached by Syrian security services interested in “collaboration” with the al Qaeda lieutenant before his death in 2006. This disclosure comes from Shahada Jawhar, the former head of al-Qaeda’s terrorist training branch, who insists Zarqawi turned down the Syrian offer “because he didn’t want to fight the Americans for the political interests of Syria.” Jawhar, who managed a light-weapons and explosives training camp at Haditha, explained the reasons behind the Syrian overture to the Al-Arabiya television channel: keeping America occupied in Iraq to prevent Washington from eventually turning its attention toward Damascus. (Rome AKI, December 7, 2007)
A NEW APPROACH TO THE PKK
Turkey is looking to test a fresh approach in its decades-long conflict with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) by offering amnesty to surrendering fighters. In recent days, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested that he is open to reforming Article 221 of the country’s penal code – which provides for amnesty to fighters who have not been involved in attacks – to make it more “flexible,” and has not ruled out entirely new legislation permitting PKK fighters to come in from the cold. Any such move is likely to face heavy opposition from critics at home, however; the nationalist MHP party has already labeled the initiative as akin to “giving in to terrorism.” (Reuters, December 12, 2007)
AL-QAEDA’S EYE ON THE GULF
A “close observer” of al-Qaeda has told a leading Arab-language newspaper that the bin Laden terror network is in the process of moving its operations away from Afghanistan and “spread[ing] its wings abroad,” possibly signaling the start of a “third stage of the war on terror.” Al-Qaeda’s main expansion appears to have been into the southern Persian Gulf, particularly Yemen, which could eventually “replace Afghanistan as the incubator to breed, rally and train” al-Qaeda terrorists. (London Al-Sharq al-Awsat, December 13, 2007)
BACK TO SCHOOL FOR SADR
In a bid to bolster his “religious credentials” among Iraq’s fractured Shi’ite community, firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has returned to the seminary in the hope of earning the respected title of Ayatollah – a course of study which could take until 2010. Though wildly popular among Iraq’s poor Shi’ites, Sadr has little formal religious training compared to his competitor for Shi’ite loyalty, the more politically moderate Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. To further boost his prestige, Sadr is in the process of restructuring his Mahdi Army, waging an intensive campaign to weed out rogue elements and independent militias, and boost his support among Iraqis who have grown disenchanted with sectarian brutality. (Associated Press, December 14, 2007)
HAMAS DIGS IN
Anticipating an imminent Israeli invasion, Hamas is organizing a unique “defensive plan” in the Gaza Strip - one “full of surprises” for the Israeli military. According to Abu Obayda, a spokesman for the terrorist group’s Qassam Brigades, the plan “will highly depend on rockets which were not used before, in addition to a network of trenches and tunnels which were dug in the strip. The army will be astounded with fighters coming from beneath the ground.” Obayda has also refused to deny the growing links between Hamas and Iran, noting “we have the right to receive weapons and experiences from anywhere…” (London Al-Hayat, December 17, 2007)
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