The CEO of Terror Inc.
Osama bin Laden's corporation is unique. Its only product is mayhem
Indeed, al Qaeda's leaders have demonstrated utter mastery of the multipronged attack. Even as their millennium bombing plots in America and Jordan were foiled, operatives were scheming to bomb the USS Sullivan in Yemen in January of last year. That plot failed, too, when their boat--overloaded with explosives--sank. But they returned to the same harbor nine months later and bombed the USS Cole. All the while, an ocean away, al Qaeda's men were inside America, studying how to pilot a plane and planning the group's most ambitious act of terror yet.
Cells from hell
Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network, based in Afghanistan, is believed to operate clandestinely in more than 60 nations.
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Sept. 11, 2001, New York, Arlington, Va.: Attack on the World trade Center and the Pentagon (thousands killed and injured)
June 2001, India: Plot to blow up U.S. Embassy's visa section
Early 2000, Yemen: Attempt to bomb the USS Sullivan
Oct. 12, 2000, Yemen: Attack on USS Cole (17 killed; 39 injured)
December 1999, Los Angeles: Attempt to bomb Los Angeles International Airport
December 1999, Jordan: Attempt to bomb tourist and biblical sites.
Aug. 7, 1998, Kenya and Tanzania: U.S. embassies bombed (301 killed; 5,000 injured)
Early 1995, Philippines: Attempt to assassinate President Clinton
1995, Philippines: Plot to blow up 11 U.S. commercial planes over the Pacific Ocean.
Late 1994, Philippines: Plot to assassinate Pope John Paul II: plot to bomb U.S. and Israeli embassies
Oct. 3, 1993, Somalia: Attack on U.S. servicemen (18 killed)
Dec. 1992, Yemen: Three bombings targeting U.S. troops
Countries with al Qaeda cells:
Canada, United States
South America: Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay
Europe: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Russia (Chechnya), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Former USSR: Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
Middle East: Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority Areas, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Africa: Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda
Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, China, India (Kashmir), Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan
Terrorist groups affiliated with al Qaeda:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines; Saudi Arabia
Attacks linked to al Qaeda:
Sept. 11, 2001, New York, Arlington, Va.
Early 2000, Yemen, USS Cole
Aug. 7, 1998, Kenya and Tanzania, U.S. embassies
Oct. 3, 1993, Somalia attack on U.S. servicemen
Dec. 1992, Yemen, bombings
Attempted attacks linked to al Qaeda:
June 2001, India
Early 2000, Yemen
Dec. 1999, Los Angeles
Dec. 1999, Jordan
Late 1994, Philippines
Sources: Jane's Intelligence Review; Congressional Research Service; U.S. State Department
Rod Little--USN&WR
With Edward T. Pound, Nora Keating and Lisa Griffin
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