A couple of notable articles today…. one from ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID E. SANGER in the NYT’s today, documenting the migration of many AQ leaders and fighters from Pakistan to friendlier digs in Somalia or Yemen.
In communications that are being watched carefully at the Pentagon, the White House and the Central Intelligence Agency, the terrorist groups in all three locations are now communicating more frequently, and apparently trying to coordinate their actions, the officials said.
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Somalia is now a failed state that bears some resemblance to Afghanistan before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, while Yemen’s weak government is ineffectually trying to combat the militants, American officials say.
The shift of fighters is still small, perhaps a few dozen, and there is no evidence that the top leaders — Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri — are considering a move from their refuge in the Pakistani tribal areas, according to more than half a dozen senior administration, military and counterterrorism officials interviewed in recent days.
Most officials would not comment on the record about the details of what they are seeing, because of the sensitivity of the intelligence information they are gathering.
Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A. director, said in remarks here on Thursday that the United States must prevent Al Qaeda from creating a new sanctuary in Yemen or Somalia.
This truly can’t be much of a surprise. As I posted on April 16th, the Somalia pirates links to local jihad groups and their alliance with AQ is plainly out in the open. And since, in this economy, piracy seems to be the only job security for a desperate jihad group, Somalia is certainly a logical choice for their financial woes. Garnishing a percentage of the pirates booty shouldn’t be difficult to negotiate in exchange for favors, protection and arms.
And in fact, financial woes are playing a large part in the decision to shift AQ resources to Yemen and Somalia, according to CLEMENTE LISI in the New York Post today.
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