"In building this network, bin Laden has assembled a coalition
of disparate radical Islamic groups of varying nationalities to
work toward common goals – the expulsion of non-Muslim control
or influence from Muslim-inhabited lands," said the report, made
available Thursday.
The Congressional Research Service report was dated Monday, the
day before the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday identified
bin Laden as a suspect in the attacks.
The assertion that bin Laden's Al-Qaeda organization has links
in dozens of countries is significant, given Powell's promise to
carry out a global war on terrorism.
Once the United States has acted against those responsible for
Tuesday's attacks, Powell said, "We will continue with a global
assault on terrorism in general."
The report, written by Middle East specialist Kenneth Katzman,
said bin Laden is estimated to have $300 million in personal financial
assets with which he funds a network of 3,000 Islamic militants.
The organization presents a "global threat to U.S. citizens and
national security interests," the report said.
It also said Al-Qaeda cells have been identified or suspected in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Jordan,
Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Sudan, Azerbaijan,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Chechnya, Somalia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Ethiopia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Uruguay, Ecuador, Bosnia,
Kosovo, Albania, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States
itself.
The report lists 19 Near Eastern terrorist organizations, and ranks
Al-Qaeda as the only one with an "extremely high" terrorist activity
level.
Only two were ranked "very high": the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
and Hamas, also a Palestinian organization.
APNP-09-13-01 1556CDT