'Suicide terrorism to increase in 2003'<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The al-Qaeda terror network and its associate groups will
\nincreasingly resort to suicide attacks against soft targets this
\nyear because of their diminished resources, an analyst said
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
\"Al-Qaeda's intention to attack has not diminished but its
\ncapability to attack has suffered,\" said visiting Singapore-based
\nterrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna.<\/p>\n
\"As such, the group is increasingly probing targets that can
\nbe attacked with least effort and cost,\" he told AFP.<\/p>\n
Gunaratna, the author of Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of
\nTerror, said al-Qaeda's preferred target would remain the United
\nStates but it would only have the capability to attack U.S
\nallies.<\/p>\n
\"With al-Qaeda working with like-minded groups, the attacks
\nconducted by al-Qaeda's associate groups will pose a threat as
\ngreat as al-Qaeda,\" Gunaratna said.<\/p>\n
\"Furthermore, assassination will be used more frequently
\nalthough suicide bombings will be the most predominant form of
\nattack.\"<\/p>\n
Attacks would likely focus on economic targets and cities, he
\nsaid, noting that al-Qaeda or its associate groups had already
\nkilled German tourists in Tunisia, French naval technicians in
\nPakistan, Australians and Westerners in Indonesia's Bali island
\nand Israelis in Kenya.<\/p>\n
\"Al-Qaeda finds it less costly to operate in parts of Asia,
\nAfrica and the Middle East where there is lack of security
\ncontrols,\" Gunaratna said.<\/p>\n
The Bali bombing killed more than 190 people, mostly
\nforeigners. The Jamaah Islamiyah regional militant network, which
\nhas been linked to al-Qaeda, is widely accused of responsibility
\nfor the attack.<\/p>\n
Fifteen people have been arrested and 11 including two
\nMalaysians are still sought over the blast.<\/p>\n
The U.S war on terror will force Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda to
\ndecentralize further and rely on its global network of militant
\nIslamic groups, Gunaratna said.<\/p>\n
Al-Qaeda will probably use non-sophisticated technology to
\nattack civilians and civilian infrastructure but choose symbolic
\nand prestigious targets for greater impact.<\/p>\n
\"With greater border controls, members and associate members
\nof al-Qaeda will use what can be readily purchased off the shelf
\nespecially from pharmacies, chemist shops and hardware stores,\"
\nthe Sri Lankan-born author said.<\/p>\n
Gunaratna said that with the loss of Afghanistan as a \"theater
\nof jihad (holy struggle),\" in the future terrorists entering the
\nWest would have been trained not only in Afghanistan but also in
\nother places such as Chechnya.<\/p>\n
He said al-Qaeda would continue to conduct operations against
\nMuslim rulers supporting the U.S-led \"war on terror\", including
\nthe Pakistani and Afghan leadership.<\/p>\n
A United Nations report released in December said al-Qaeda
\nremained a global threat to world peace and security despite
\nmajor blows to its infrastructure.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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