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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Rohan Gunaratna
Aired June 08, 2003 - 10:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Peacekeepers in Afghanistan say they received a warning before a suicide attack on a bus yesterday in Kabul. Four German peacekeepers were killed when an explosives-laden taxi cab pulled along side the bus and then blew up. The bus was carrying peacekeepers to the airport, taking them home after their tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Well, Afghan officials blame the attack in Kabul on Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. But the group itself has not claimed responsibility. Does this seem like the work of the terror group, and is it still an active network in Afghanistan? The author of the book, "Inside Al Qaeda" may have some answers for this morning.
Rohan Gunaratna is in New York now. And thanks for joining us this morning. Well, do you believe that this is the work of Al Qaeda, this latest attack involving a taxi cab?
ROHAN GUNARATNA, AUTHOR: Certainly, Al Qaeda has mounted a number of suicide operations both inside Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as outside that region. I have no doubt that this is an attack by Al Qaeda.
WHITFIELD: What are the telling signs? Afghan officials seem to believe to, you know, connect the dots and associate this with Al Qaeda. But for you, given that you have studied this network, what are the, I guess, discerning qualities about this attack?
GUNARATNA: Al Qaeda is the only group in Afghanistan and Pakistan that conducts suicide operations. Taliban and Hezabi Islami (ph), these two organizations are also against U.S. and its allies operating in Afghanistan. But Al Qaeda is the only group with the intention and the capability to mount suicide operations in Afghanistan.
WHITFIELD: In addition to these attacks in Afghanistan most recently and now Al Qaeda, many U.S. forces -- or U.S. officials are linking Al Qaeda to having played a part in the Morocco attacks most recently, but not actually carrying out that attack but just playing a part of it. Are you saying that Al Qaeda may not be spearheading all of these recent attacks, but perhaps they're only in assistance?
GUNARATNA: Certainly, Al Qaeda has suffered a lot. And as a result, they are providing assistance to other groups. For instance, the Morocco attack was conducted by Asiriat Al Mustikim (ph), associate group of Al Qaeda. Riyadh bombing was conducted by Al Qaeda. So we are seeing in some cases Al Qaeda mounts operations. In other cases, Al Qaeda coordinates the operations with other organizations.
WHITFIELD: And are you seeing that that activity seems to be -- I guess the course that Al Qaeda is taking predominantly because of the recent arrests, recent within the past few months, of the two leading suspects, that being Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Walid ba Attash?
GUNARATNA: Yes. Certainly the arrest of Attash and Khalid contributed to a decline in the operational capability of Al Qaeda, and because of that, they are increasingly relying on associate groups. For instance, even the in attack in Bali was conducted by Jemaah Islamiah, associate group of Al Qaeda.
So we are seeing that increasingly, Al Qaeda is relying on groups that it trained and armed and financed during the 1990s, that these groups are now playing an increased role both in Asia and in the Middle East.
WHITFIELD: And are you convinced of that simply because of the change in strategy in which these attacks are being carried out, that they are mostly targeting what are dubbed as soft targets?
GUNARATNA: Yes because it is more difficult for them now to attack military and protected diplomatic and political targets. So because of that, they are going mostly for population targets and economic targets. So, we are seeing a shift from hard targets to soft targets with the decline in the capability of this organization to mount attacks on protected targets.
WHITFIELD: OK. Rohan Gunaratna, thank you very much for joining us from New York. And the book is "Inside Al Qaeda."
GUNARATNA: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 8, 2003 - 10:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Peacekeepers in Afghanistan say they received a warning before a suicide attack on a bus yesterday in Kabul. Four German peacekeepers were killed when an explosives-laden taxi cab pulled along side the bus and then blew up. The bus was carrying peacekeepers to the airport, taking them home after their tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Well, Afghan officials blame the attack in Kabul on Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. But the group itself has not claimed responsibility. Does this seem like the work of the terror group, and is it still an active network in Afghanistan? The author of the book, "Inside Al Qaeda" may have some answers for this morning.
Rohan Gunaratna is in New York now. And thanks for joining us this morning. Well, do you believe that this is the work of Al Qaeda, this latest attack involving a taxi cab?
ROHAN GUNARATNA, AUTHOR: Certainly, Al Qaeda has mounted a number of suicide operations both inside Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as outside that region. I have no doubt that this is an attack by Al Qaeda.
WHITFIELD: What are the telling signs? Afghan officials seem to believe to, you know, connect the dots and associate this with Al Qaeda. But for you, given that you have studied this network, what are the, I guess, discerning qualities about this attack?
GUNARATNA: Al Qaeda is the only group in Afghanistan and Pakistan that conducts suicide operations. Taliban and Hezabi Islami (ph), these two organizations are also against U.S. and its allies operating in Afghanistan. But Al Qaeda is the only group with the intention and the capability to mount suicide operations in Afghanistan.
WHITFIELD: In addition to these attacks in Afghanistan most recently and now Al Qaeda, many U.S. forces -- or U.S. officials are linking Al Qaeda to having played a part in the Morocco attacks most recently, but not actually carrying out that attack but just playing a part of it. Are you saying that Al Qaeda may not be spearheading all of these recent attacks, but perhaps they're only in assistance?
GUNARATNA: Certainly, Al Qaeda has suffered a lot. And as a result, they are providing assistance to other groups. For instance, the Morocco attack was conducted by Asiriat Al Mustikim (ph), associate group of Al Qaeda. Riyadh bombing was conducted by Al Qaeda. So we are seeing in some cases Al Qaeda mounts operations. In other cases, Al Qaeda coordinates the operations with other organizations.
WHITFIELD: And are you seeing that that activity seems to be -- I guess the course that Al Qaeda is taking predominantly because of the recent arrests, recent within the past few months, of the two leading suspects, that being Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Walid ba Attash?
GUNARATNA: Yes. Certainly the arrest of Attash and Khalid contributed to a decline in the operational capability of Al Qaeda, and because of that, they are increasingly relying on associate groups. For instance, even the in attack in Bali was conducted by Jemaah Islamiah, associate group of Al Qaeda.
So we are seeing that increasingly, Al Qaeda is relying on groups that it trained and armed and financed during the 1990s, that these groups are now playing an increased role both in Asia and in the Middle East.
WHITFIELD: And are you convinced of that simply because of the change in strategy in which these attacks are being carried out, that they are mostly targeting what are dubbed as soft targets?
GUNARATNA: Yes because it is more difficult for them now to attack military and protected diplomatic and political targets. So because of that, they are going mostly for population targets and economic targets. So, we are seeing a shift from hard targets to soft targets with the decline in the capability of this organization to mount attacks on protected targets.
WHITFIELD: OK. Rohan Gunaratna, thank you very much for joining us from New York. And the book is "Inside Al Qaeda."
GUNARATNA: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
