by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright September 6, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

rresting three homegrown terrorists, German authorities successfully broke up a possible Sept. 11 anniversary plot, proving that good police work, not the military, is the best strategy for stopping terrorists. With Osama bin Laden still eluding the U.S., al-Qaida continues to inspire and radicalize wayward youth around the planet. Nearly six years after Sept. 11, the threat of terrorism plagues the civilized world, proving that it's time to change U.S. policy. Bogging the U.S. military down in Iraq has not, as promised by President George W. Bush, made the world safer from terrorists. All indications prove that the world is a more dangerous place, with al-Qaidq's global recruitment unabated. “Arrests in Denmark and Germany indicate that al-Qaida continues to carry out active war against the West,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff confessed to a House panel.

      Chertoff's admission is a sober reminder of a failed policy of detouring the military in what Bush calls “the central front in the war on terror.” Law enforcement efforts in the U.K., Germany and Denmark, have managed to preempt possible attacks, demonstrating the success on non-military intelligence. If Bin Laden were killed or captured, his global recruitment campaign and terrorist training camps in Pakistan would have less global influence. “They continue to seek fellow travelers and allies and adherents in the West who can be used to carry out attacks, whether they be in Western Europe or here in the homeland,” said Chertoff, making the strongest possible case for going after Bin Laden, in Pakistan or elsewhere. Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) was slammed by the GOP and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) for promising to go after al-Qaida in Pakistan.

      German officials indicated that all three captured terrorists received training in Pakistan, the exact place under Pakistan strongman Pervez Musharraf given sanctuary. Allowing Bin Laden and his pernicious propaganda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri to run amok has cost the U.S. and Western Europe. No matter what promises Musharraf made tribal leaders in the so-called ungoverned lands along the Afghan border, Obama is dead right saying the U.S. must act. Bin Laden's terrorist machine has operated with impunity for six years since Sept. 11. Arab media already promised an anniversary message from Bin Laden, renewing recruitment into his global terror network. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the three terrorists were inspired by Internet recruitment efforts and got “highly professional training in Pakistan,” leaving no doubt about Pakistan's role.

      German authorities linked the terrorist cell to the Uzbek Islamic Jihad Union with close ties to al-Qaida. Joerg Ziercke, who heads Germany's Federal Crimes Office in Berlin, confirmed the connection to Uzbekistan. It's the first time a Caucasus state, the Islamic region Southwest of Russia, has been fingered for its link to al-Qaida, though Bin Laden has reportedly aided Chechen separatists. “That would be a very big deal and a very bad development,” said former U.S. counterintelligence official Roger Cressey, concerned about terrorist recruitment. More than al-Qaida, Islamic Jihad Union “distinguishes itself through a profound hatred of U.S. citizens,” according to Ziercke, making the German cell all the more lethal. German terrorists, with loyalty to Bin Laden and Islamic Jihad Union, joined forces to attack U.S. Ramstein Air Base and Frankfurt International Airport.

      Bin Laden's continued presence on the airwaves fuels the radicalization of disenfranchised youth seeking structure, purpose, and, yes, money. Radical groups supply the amenities to otherwise destitute youths, making the terrorist lifestyle all the more appealing and glamorous. Terrorism officials are worried about the German and Danish cells, believing that Bin Laden continues to radicalize wayward youth in European countries “An unknown question is, what radicalized them?” asked Cressey, concerned about the June car bomb attack at Glasgow, Scotland, March ‘04 train attacks in Madrid, July '05 London Underground bombing and recently aborted attacks in the U.K. and now Germany. “Your see a trend in Europe that has the potential to spill over here [in the U.S.] if the radicalization phenomenon and recruitment over the Intenet continues in this direction,” said Cressey.

      Vigilant, rigorous and coordinated intelligence-gathering by international law enforcement helped to disrupt terror plots, not fighting a no-win war in Iraq. While there's a time and place for the military, fighting terror requires careful coordination by federal, state and local law enforcement, both domestic and foreign. Since Sept. 11, terror cells have proliferated because the spiritual leader of world terrorists has been given sanctuary inside the so-called ungoverned lands of Pakistan. When Obama said he would not give Bin Laden sanctuary inside Pakistan, he mapped out a real strategy for fighting global terror. No U.S. war, in Iraq or elsewhere, should give Bin Laden free reign. Going after al-Qaida or other terror camps in Pakistan would be a positive stem in the global fight against terror. Ceding Bin Laden the global airwaves turns the terror war on its head.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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