• Why Jihad Watch?
  • About Robert Spencer and Staff Writers
  • FAQ
  • Books
  • Muhammad
  • Islam 101
  • Privacy

Jihad Watch

Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

“Sleeper cells” of al Qaeda active in U.S. despite war

Feb 11, 2004 9:39 am By Robert Spencer

More on Al-Qaeda’s sleeper cells from the Washington Times, :

Al Qaeda terrorists, operating through “sleeper cells” scattered throughout the United States, continue to recruit new members, assist in the acquisition of safe houses and equipment, conduct pre-attack surveillance and relay messages from terrorist leaders and planners, U.S. law-enforcement authorities said yesterday.

Despite having been degraded by America’s ongoing war on terrorism and an aggressive enforcement effort by the FBI, the organization also continues to raise millions of dollars through a vast network of U.S.-based bogus charities and foundations “” used to finance, among other things, terrorist training camps abroad, the authorities said.

But U.S. law-enforcement officials and other government agencies declined yesterday to comment specifically on a Tuesday report by The Washington Times that Islamist radicals are being trained at terrorist camps in Pakistan and Kashmir as part of a conspiracy to send hundreds of operatives to sleeper cells in the United States.

U.S. and foreign intelligence and law-enforcement officials said dozens of Islamist extremists had been sent through Europe to Muslim communities in the United States from training camps in the remote regions of western Pakistan and in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Asked about The Times report, one U.S. official said there is no doubt that training camps for terrorists are operating in Pakistan and Kashmir, but that recent focus of the groups largely has been on internal Pakistani issues. The official would not elaborate, referring further inquiries to the FBI.

“The FBI remains committed to investigating and disrupting terrorist activities in the United States. There is no more important mission,” said FBI spokesman Bill Carter, adding that locating al Qaeda members and sympathizers “is our highest priority.”

Mr. Carter confirmed that al Qaeda maintains a network of members and associates in dozens of countries, including the United States, but said the FBI had made “significant progress” in disrupting their activities and planning.

Despite denials by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, the law-enforcement and intelligence officials told The Times that the camps in Pakistan were documented by the Indian government, which said its army had photographs and other evidence that had been turned over to U.S. officials.

That information included satellite photos and communication intercepts showing 60 to 70 camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well as in Pakistan.

Law-enforcement authorities said yesterday that al Qaeda members and sympathizers, whose presence in the United States has been documented, are not thought to pose “an imminent threat” but are a significant threat here.

They said al Qaeda terrorists maintain an active network of members and sympathizers in dozens of other countries.

Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican and chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on terrorism, technology and homeland security, told The Times this week that international terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda, are actively recruiting operatives in the United States in an ongoing scheme to establish sleeper cells nationwide to defeat the country’s heightened state of security since the September 11 attacks.

Financed by cash from Saudi Arabia, routed through U.S. mosques and an extensive network of bogus charities and foundations, the terrorist organizations’ influence in this country is “more pervasive than people realize” and new members are being recruited to train at camps abroad, Mr. Kyl said.

Last year, Mr. Kyl’s subcommittee targeted extremist Muslims in America, those who had become increasingly influential throughout the country “” buoyed by foreign state-sponsored doctrines and a wellspring of cash used to recruit and train international terrorists.

Federal law-enforcement authorities think Saudi cash has been a significant source of funding for global terrorism, particularly Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network. Part of that effort, the authorities said, also has targeted black Muslims at mosques, prisons and universities in this country who are thought to be sympathetic to Islamist extremism.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Follow me on Facebook

Filed Under: Uncategorized


Learn more about RevenueStripe...

FacebookYoutubeTwitterLog in

Subscribe to the Jihad Watch Daily Digest

You will receive a daily mailing containing links to the stories posted at Jihad Watch in the last 24 hours.
Enter your email address to subscribe.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!
If you are forwarding to a friend, please remove the unsubscribe buttons first, as they my accidentally click it.

Subscribe to all Jihad Watch posts

You will receive immediate notification.
Enter your email address to subscribe.
Note: This may be up to 15 emails a day.

Donate to JihadWatch
FrontPage Mag

Search Site

Translate

The Team

Robert Spencer in FrontPageMag
Robert Spencer in PJ Media

Articles at Jihad Watch by
Robert Spencer
Hugh Fitzgerald
Christine Douglass-Williams
Andrew Harrod
Jamie Glazov
Daniel Greenfield

Contact Us

Terror Attacks Since 9/11

Archives

  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2005
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2004
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2003
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • March

All Categories

You Might Like

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Recent Comments

  • Crusades Were Right on New study reveals that Muslim religiosity strongly linked to hatred towards the West
  • Naildriver on Uighur leader: ‘We’re actually quite worried’ about what Biden might let China get away with
  • Crusades Were Right on Canadian Mental Health Association studies Muslim women’s mental health due to ‘discrimination’ and ‘hate crimes’
  • Crusades Were Right on Muslim cleric: ‘We welcomed the takeover of ISIS because they wanted to implement the Sharia’
  • curious george on Israel At A Crossroads?

Popular Categories

dhimmitude Sharia Jihad in the U.S ISIS / Islamic State / ISIL Iran Free Speech

Robert Spencer FaceBook Page

Robert Spencer Twitter

Robert Spencer twitter

Robert Spencer YouTube Channel

Books by Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch® is a registered trademark of Robert Spencer in the United States and/or other countries - Site Developed and Managed by Free Speech Defense

Content copyright Jihad Watch, Jihad Watch claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to their respective owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

Our mailing address is: David Horowitz Freedom Center, P.O. Box 55089, Sherman Oaks, CA 91499-1964

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.