(TCS Daily) Olivier Guitta - In a recent interview with the pan-Arabic daily Al Hayat, PA Chairman Abu Mazen's recognition of al-Qaeda's presence in Gaza and the West Bank, coupled with his warning of the "destruction of the whole region" because of the terrorist entity, only confirms what Israeli security services have been saying for months: al-Qaeda is fast expanding in the neighborhood. Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar acknowledged al-Qaeda's Gaza presence in a Sep. 2005 interview in Corriere della Sera. In a Feb. 11, 2006, interview with the French daily Liberation, Ahmed Fatfat, the new incoming Lebanese interior minister, revealed details about al-Qaeda's presence in his country. The Kuwaiti daily Al-Seyassah of Feb. 9 seconded Fatfat's assertions. The fact that al-Qaeda is infiltrating countries surrounding Israel fits totally in its master plan as exposed by Jordanian journalist Fouad Hussein in his recent book Al-Zarqawi: Al-Qaeda's Second Generation (only available in Arabic). Hussein explains that al-Qaeda's final goal is to establish an Islamic caliphate in seven phases. The third phase, called "The Rising," advocates heavy attacks against Israel.
2006-04-05 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive