Internal divisions between Saudi and Egyptian leaders of Al Qaeda are producing “fissures” within the group and a possible battle over who will succeed Osama Bin Laden, according to CIA Director Michael Hayden, as quoted by the Washington Times on Wednesday.
Hayden said the tribal regions of Pakistan “have become more of a safe haven for Al Qaeda,” and “there is more of a nexus between Al Qaeda and various Pashtun extremists and separatist groups than we seen in the past.” He added, “It’s a threat to Afghanistan, it’s a threat to Pakistan, and frankly, it’s a threat to the US,” noting that Western-appearing terrorists are being trained there.
Hayden said that Al Qaeda regrouped in the past two years inside the Tribal Areas of Pakistan and linked up with Pashtun regional extremists in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. Osama Bin Laden was now an “iconic” figure hiding somewhere between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said, adding that there had been “an awful lot of jockeying” among possible successors of the Al Qaeda founder and chief. He was a Saudi and there were a lot of Egyptians in the leadership, including his No 2 Ayman Al-Zawahiri. If Bin Laden died, his succession by an Egyptian would be a “contentious matter”.
Hayden said he did not know whether Bin LadenÂ’s deputy would take over the group if the former died.
Evidence: Hayden said CIA operations officers were working aggressively to locate, capture or kill Bin Laden. US military and government agents were working to “create the opportunity” to get Bin Laden, he disclosed. Asked whether Bin Laden was alive, the CIA chief said, “We have ... no evidence he’s not. And frankly, we think there would be evidence. ... Given the iconic stature, his death would cause a little more than a wake in the harbour. He’s putting a lot of his energy into hiding right now.” He added that the chances of getting Zawahri were better since he had been “more active”. Several of Al Qaeda’s operational leaders have been killed or captured, including Abu Laith al-Libi in late January. |