THE AL QAEDA MANUAL

The Al Qaeda Manual



The Al Qaeda Manual

1) When do you think the document was written? Why?

“There appears to be a new contributing editor? as the instructions are enumerated and sectioned in a manner not yet introduced. That the manual was written in the early 90's is most clearly demonstrated in the notable absence of instructions related to email? ciphered websites? compact discs? calling cards? wireless telephones? pagers? et al (www.alqimmah.net/). Not surprisingly? tape-recorded messages and video recordings with explicit instructions are not used as communication tools. Those mediums may be used for religious propaganda as they were by the Ayatollah Khomeni prior to the Iranian Revolution. This form of communication is an example of overt operations: while aiding the mission of the organization? there is no pressing need to conceal its content or message (www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/ns/le/cle-en.as). Communication is undertaken to relay the status of? and pertinent instructions related to? an operation. The preferred mode of communication for a cell in a specific area of operation is word-of-mouth? in person. While this raises the possibility that the operatives will be spotted? AQ is confident in its agents' ability to devise innocuous cover stories/identities. Particularly after being encouraged to adopt a likely cover? it is odd that the examples given continue to portray a professional class” (www.alqimmah.net/).

2) How do Al Qaeda operational methods compare to ours?

“Terrorists can murder and maim using many different methods of attack. As well as using tried and tested methods? Al Qaida and associated networks are able to innovate? as was demonstrated on 11 September 2001. Incidents listed by tactic? weapon? targets? and casualties? as well as date and geographic location (www.alqimmah.net/). A new US government intelligence describes in the detail yet al-Qaeda's techniques for assessing potential targets? extolling the lethal power of flying? shattered building glass? and advising that kerosene and tires are effective for a deadly arson attack. The focus is on maximizing the destructive and killing power of an attack? (www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/ns/le/cle-en.as).

Provided a fresh glimpse of terrorist reports found in computers and disks seized in Pakistan in July. The reports described the casing by terrorists of several buildings in the United States and prompted US authorities to raise the terror threat level earlier this year for high-profile financial facilities in New York? Washington and Newark? New Jersey (www.alqimmah.net/). The heightened alert was released shortly after the November 2 election? and there is no evidence a potential attack ever moved beyond initial planning. In two reports? the al-Qaeda author assumed that undercover security officers are likely to be stationed near possible targets. That shows that security officials must regularly review? refresh and reinforce their undercover teams to prevent them from being identified. One al-Qaeda operative also advises where additional reconnaissance could be performed before an attack? such as inside the coffee shop? restaurants or bars etc (www.alqimmah.net/). Or even on the upstairs floor of the bookshop (there is one end where people regularly sit and browse through ...