Al-Qaeda: After Afghanistan an FT series

Published: February 20 2002 16:39GMT | Last Updated: April 3 2002 09:08GMT
Al-Qaeda capture boosts US anti-terror campaign

The capture by US and Pakistani forces of Abu Zubaydah, one of Osama bin Laden's most trusted lieutenants, is a victory in the US-led war against terrorism and blow for al-Qaeda, the terrorist network blamed for the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. read more

launch map to see how and where the most recent al-Qaeda plots unfolded

a terrorist network reborn   the money trail   fighting at home and abroad
world-wide hunt for al-qaeda  More from FT.com
a terrorist network reborn
For the US and its allies, September 11 marked the start of a campaign to eradicate Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. For many radical Muslims, the attacks were an inspiration. An FT investigation reveals that bin Laden still has the power to attract recruits and threaten global security.
Al-Qaeda's global network
Al-Qaeda's ability to regroup and plan future terrorist acts is dependent upon its key personnel, now on the run from Afghanistan, securing ties with up to 100,000 militants scattered around the world, and activating affiliated command cells dispersed in over 50 countries. Since September 11, several attacks have been secretly thwarted. read full story

Officials say al-Qaeda network still a threat
Western intelligence officers believe the al-Qaeda terrorist network is regrouping and preparing for a new phase of activity. An FT investigation reveals the growing anxiety among security services that despite the most extensive campaign of its kind ever mounted and the destruction of its presence in Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is still recruiting,and seeking new targets. read full story

Al-Qaeda cells regroup for next phase in the war February 20
At around 9.15 on the morning of October 26, just six weeks after terrorists struck America, an apparently ordinary young man in casual clothes boarded a Boeing 747 at Manchester Airport.
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Military defeat leaves Arab resentment thriving February 20
Among supporters of al-Qaeda in the Arab world, the story of the Afghanistan war is not as bleak as it might seem. The military might of the United States fails to impress, the Taliban have yet to be crushed, and the survival of al-Qaeda is assured. read full story

Shadows behind shoe-bomber's mid-air attack February 20
Investigators on both sides of the Atlantic have been piecing together details about Richard Reid, the shoebomber, right up to the moment he boarded the plan. What has been discovered points to a disturbing development in the threat posed by the phenomenon of al-Qaeda.
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the money trail
bin laden A world-wide campaign to staunch the flow of terrorist financing has led to millions of dollars being frozen in bank accounts and arrests in several countries. However, the FT's investigation into how effective the al-Qaeda network remains after the war in Afghanistan, reveals that investigators have yet to fully understand how the financial network operates.

Complex finances defy global policing February 21
The numbers look impressive. Since the September 11 attacks, the US and its allies world-wide have seized more than $104m in alleged terrorist-related assets and frozen accounts from 168 individuals and groups. The FBI has reviewed more than 320,000 documents obtained from subpoenas involving 10,500 accounts. The US says 147 countries have participated in blocking at least some terrorist funds.
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Arabia bridles at Americans' insistence on al-Qaeda cash February 21
Visitors to the home of Yassin al-Qadi in the heart of the Saudi port city of Jeddah are greeted by the sound of water trickling from a fountain at the centre of a cobbled courtyard. Beyond the gates, the villa is decorated in the Moorish style of Andalusia. The visitor is greeted by a table spread with tea, juice and cakes. read full story

Case not proved against terror's quartermasters February 21
The decision of the US and its allies last November to freeze the accounts of Barakat, the Somalia-based hawala money transfer group, was the highest-profile act so far in the financial war on terrorism. read full story


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fighting at home and abroad
bin laden The September 11 attacks exposed rifts within the Islamic world. Moderates condemned the atrocities, while security services fear militants are planning more attacks. As these new "front lines" in the war on terrorism open up, the question is whether governments allied to the US can confront the threat without alienating their own people.

Bin Laden's bid to turn Muslim against Muslim
February 22
Far from the snow-capped peaks and desert plains of Afghanistan, new frontlines have been opened in the war on terrorism within Muslim states from Somalia to Indonesia. Pakistan is at the centre of the emerging battle. read full story

Al-Qaeda recruiting ground offers tough challenge in war on terror February 22
At the first checkpoint out of Sana'a, the tribesmen from Marib line up in front of a shack, handing in their ticket to recover their Kalashnikovs. Banned in Yemen's capital, the weapons, say the tribesmen, are essential to survival outside. "Revenge is the way of the tribes," says a Bedouin.
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Plot to blow up four embassies revealed on Afghan video February 22
Looming on a small rise overlooking the eight lanes of Napier Road, the US Embassy in Singapore is a forbidding building of dark gray granite. read full story


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world wide hunt for al-Qaeda
bin laden FT correspondents around Europe and Asia report about their country's hunt for al-Qaeda members .

Agencies fear extent of al-Qaeda's sea network
US military ground and air forces in Afghanistan have so far taken centre stage in the war against terrorism. But beyond the headline-grabbing land campaign a much broader effort is underway at sea reflecting growing concerns about the infiltration of the murky world of global shipping by the al-Qaeda network. read full story

On the trail of al-Qaeda's leaders
Pakistan is the one country suspected more than others as a place of refuge for al-Qaeda leaders, with its historical ties to islamic militant groups and leaders of the former Taliban regime. read full story

Pakistan's Taliban links prove difficult to unravel
Five people suspected to members of al-Qaeda, including three of Arab descent, made the mistake of running over a pedestrian on the sidewalk in a remote Pakistani town in December. read full story

Al-Qaeda and Abu Sayyaf: the missing link
The arrest and interrogation of Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi, the alleged Indonesian munitions expert and member of Malaysia-based Jemaah Islamiah, has yielded a number of leads that are likely to keep Manila's intelligence agencies busy for months to come. read full story

Afghan fighters rumoured to be hiding in Georgia
As attention shifts away from Afghanistan and its network of terrorist camps, the former Soviet state of Georgia finds itself increasingly the focus of an unwanted spotlight. read full story

Links between Chechen rebels and al-Qaeda questioned
Since the start of the US-led attacks on Afghanistan, there are some signs that support for rebels in Russia's breakaway republic of Chechnya has diminished while international cooperation to help Moscow's efforts in the region has increased. read full story


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more from FT.com

Discussion: Who will win the war on terror?
The US has promised to kill or capture Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda leadership, but will this be enough to neutralise the network? Click here to share your views.

FT investigation: Inside al-Qaeda
In as many as 50 countries young "holy warriors" are lying low devoted to the ways of Osama bin Laden. The FT investigates the al-Qaeda terrorist network and its financial and military links and our interactive map details locations of these operations across the globe.

Special report: The war in Afghanistan
Read about the main issues facing Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taliban.

Special report: Attack on Terrorism
Read the latest news and analysis on the international war against terrorism.
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