Sarah Linden

From: Sarah Linden

Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 12:11 PM
To: Sarah Linden
Subject: News from www.strategypage.com

Sent to you by Sarah from www.strategypage.com.

<p><b>Europe Discovers That It Has A Terrorist Problem</t»</p>

<br>by Stephen V Cole

<p>The Aftermath of the 11 September attacks has shown Europe what it did
not want to admit to itself, that it has a serious problem with Islamic
radicals operating terrorist cells and infrastructure in most of its
countries and major cities.

<p>Jamal Beghal, a French citizen born in Algeria, had taken terrorist

training in Afghanistan and was assigned to conduct a suicide bombing
against the US embassy in Paris to coincide with the 11 September attacks.
He was arrested in Dubai on 28 July because of a forged visa. Questioned,
or perhaps tortured, by French intelligence, he eventually told them about
numerous other terrorists, including Mohamed Atta, who had already left
for the US to conduct the 11 September attacks. Beghal told of passing
through several safehouses as he moved around Europe to recruit more
Islamic radicals among those who had already immigrated to Europe.

<p>European police and security officials have been shocked to realize

just how deeply rooted Islamic terrorist groups are in their societies.
These dangerous groups have surprising depth, with martyrs on standby for
attack orders they will be given at the last minute, and networks of safe
houses and money-raising schemes. The terrorists have shown remarkable
tradecraft, being able to disguise their identities and move about freely.
Many adopted Western habits (including drinking, dating, and prostitutes)
to provide cover for their fundamentalist beliefs. After each attack,
those who were not scheduled for suicide attacks dissolved their groups
and disappeared, only to link up later in other combinations under new
identities. European police have admitted (most importantly, to
themselves) that they never paid enough attention to these radical groups
and the terrorists who move among them selecting recruits and conducting
attacks. Each country focused on its own problems. The British were more
concerned about the IRA than Islamic groups, just as the French were so
concerned about Algerian terrorists that they never noted their
connections to broader Islamic groups. The Spanish were so concerned over
the Basques that they ignored Islamic radicals passing through their
country from Morocco en route to other countries, as well as those Islamic
groups running credit card fraud operations to fuel terrorist groups in
other countries. German police never noted that Mohammad Atta came and
went frequently using three different passports, and in fact stopped
watching the apartment where he planned the September llth attacks out of
concerns for his rights of privacy under the German constitution. Spain
and Belgium have become the centers for forged documents used by Islamic
radicals, a problem the local police assigned a low priority as it did not
threaten their local security. There was virtually no cooperation tracking
the Islamic groups as there were few specific threats to European targets.
Atta and his group did the planning for the 11 September attacks under the
noses of European police.

<p>The Beghal case has been an eye opener. French police knew he was a
radical with dangerous connections eight years ago, and had placed his
name on a special list of people to check closely as they entered the
country. (The French did not want to arrest Beghal, only to follow him,
but arrested him because of pressure from the CIA. The CIA already knew
that some big attack was coming, but knew none of the details, and hoped
 17

• Four others - Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan, Abd Al-Rahim, Khalid ibn
Muhammad Al-Juhani, and one unidentified - not previously on wanted list. All
making recording of messages of accepting their fate as martyrs, joining the war
against infidels, becoming one with Allah. Assumption they are trained terrorists,
declaring willingness to conduct suicide attack Unknown whether are already
about to launch. .

(14) "Terror Cells Slip Through Europe's Grasp," Steven Erlanger and Chris Hedges,
New York Times, 28 December 2001. (off web site)
July 2001, Algerian-bom French citizen Jamal Beghal summoned to home of Bin
Laden senior aide Abu Zubeida, instructed to return to France via Morocco and Spain to
orchestrate a suicide bombing of American Embassy in Paris, (cites "senior French
intelligence official.)
28 July, Beghal. whose name was on a watch list, (nom de guerre Abu Hamza)
(had come to attention of French authorities as far back as/994) was arrested for a forged
visa extension, tossed into a cell (according to his lawyer) and after some weeks of severe
alleged treatment divulged considerable information, including [apparently] on the
Hamburg cell. But by time connection to address in Hamburg worked out, gang had
gone to U.S and were within days of carrying out attack.
Beghal had crossed paths with those running other ops being planned last summer
(including Masoud hit, 9/11), and the way they built cells and made plans explains how
Europe was chosen as forward operating base of Islamic terror over last decade. From
larger perspective, his story tells much about world of Muslim militancy that took root in
Europe in 1990s, its shifting focus and varied structure, its future, its gravity, danger, and
depth.
Beghal typifies immigrant Muslims who lived on margins of society, wandering
across Europe meeting others like themselves, and fell under sway of al-Qaeda in 1990s,
finding meaning in Jihad after lives of alienation. Stuck on bottom drifting between
menial jobs, began to frequent mosques in the "projects," where exhortation is to build
new Islamic society, Western society excoriated foe decadence, selfishness, and
godlessness. Told of fate of Muslims in Chechnya, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Iraq. Offered
something for the future, a task, a global conception of life. Deception, forged papers, et
al is now a sign of meaure of God, Allah.
In 1994, Beghal picked up in police sweep of Algerian Islamic radicals waging
terrorist campaign inside France. (Not known if imprisoned, but prisons become further
recruitment ground.] Left for London in 1997, which filled with Arab dissident groups.
[See Smith study.] Many of plots plaguing Europe and US had ties with clerics in
Britain. The three plots of 2001 had ties to London. Many of people met there, later
cemented ties in Afghanistan.
Beghal met Moussaoui in London [cites British intelligence and members of
London mosques] who was connected to Hamburg cell of Atta. Beghal made frequent
trips to Europe, incl. Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, France; built up coterie of followers,
some went with him to Afghanistan to train. In 1999 in France picked up by authorities,
questioned. French received report from UK about his activities. He frequented same
mosque as Moussaoui - headed by Abu Qatada. Qatada (born Omar Mohamed
Othman) Palestinian/Jordanian, fought in Afghanistan, granted political asylum in UK in
 WITH DRAWAL NOTICE

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The item identified below has been withdrawn from this file:

Folder Title: Beghal/Paris Embassy 2001

Document Date: 01-16-2001
Document Type: FBI 302
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Subject: FBI 302 re: Usama Bin Laden

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