Terrorism rising as Al Qaeda fades: US report

WASHINGTON: Targeted by drone strikes, Al Qaeda is losing ground and financing, even as attacks by terror groups are on the rise, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press.




Attacks by Taliban groups on civilian targets in Afghanistan are likely to increase by 20 percent this year over last year's totals, said the report by the American Security Project, a bipartisan Washington-based organisation that analyses terror trends and the effectiveness of US counter-terror policies. The statistics do not include attacks against the military. At the same time, many Taliban groups are now increasing focus on local issues rather than Osama Bin Laden's global struggle. "There is a larger number of groups using violence to push their own agenda," said Bernard Finel, a senior fellow with the American Security Project.




Other analysts and government reports have noted that the Afghan Taliban are more focused on their internal fight just like insurgents in Somalia are concentrating on their own tribal battles with the government. The divide comes as Al Qaeda is losing in leadership and money. Armed drones, in clandestine attacks largely carried out by the Central Investigation Agency, have killed at least 11 of Washington's initial top 20 Al Qaeda targets and four others who were added to an updated list, according to the security report.




In contrast to the Afghan Taliban, who appear to be well-funded by crime, contributions and the opium trade, Al Qaeda is financially weaker than it has been in several years, according to an assessment by US Treasury officials. That has led to a decline in influence. Yet the apparent diminishment of Al Qaeda influence is at odds with the sharp rise in violent attacks in Pakistan, the report added. Taliban attacks jumped from 81 in the first half of 2008 to 220 in the first half of 2009. In both cases, the report said, the numbers of the attacks are understated because they do not include strikes against the military. Also, in the case of Pakistan, some attacks may not be attributed to a particular terror group but "are almost certainly militant attacks". ap