Al Qaeda assination strategy moves to Saudi Arabia
NY Times:
"Islamic militants in Saudi Arabia with links to Al Qaeda appear to be making a concerted new effort to destabilize the Saudi government by assassinating top security officials, according to senior American officials.
"A series of assassination attempts in the last month, including a failed car bombing in the Saudi capital on Monday, have also included a previously undisclosed shooting in early December of Maj. Gen. Abdelaziz al-Huweirini. As the No. 3 official in Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry, he is the kingdom's top counterterrorism official."
In the past few days two attempts have also been made on the life of Pakistan's president. In this case it appears that al Qaeda is targeting those who are responsible for fighting them. Tacticly the attacks make more sense than the random attacks on foreign compounds. So far they have not been successful. It is likely that such attacks will make those responsible for fighting al Qaeda even more focused. The attacks do suggest a change of target. A switch for soft targets to well protected targets probably shows a recognition of how counterproductive their previous targeting was.
There is also evidence that the Turkey bombing of soft targets came after they determined that an attempt on a US base "hard target" would not be successful. Now it appears tht the attempts will be made on muslim partners of the US war against al Qaeda.
NY Times:
"Islamic militants in Saudi Arabia with links to Al Qaeda appear to be making a concerted new effort to destabilize the Saudi government by assassinating top security officials, according to senior American officials.
"A series of assassination attempts in the last month, including a failed car bombing in the Saudi capital on Monday, have also included a previously undisclosed shooting in early December of Maj. Gen. Abdelaziz al-Huweirini. As the No. 3 official in Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry, he is the kingdom's top counterterrorism official."
In the past few days two attempts have also been made on the life of Pakistan's president. In this case it appears that al Qaeda is targeting those who are responsible for fighting them. Tacticly the attacks make more sense than the random attacks on foreign compounds. So far they have not been successful. It is likely that such attacks will make those responsible for fighting al Qaeda even more focused. The attacks do suggest a change of target. A switch for soft targets to well protected targets probably shows a recognition of how counterproductive their previous targeting was.
There is also evidence that the Turkey bombing of soft targets came after they determined that an attempt on a US base "hard target" would not be successful. Now it appears tht the attempts will be made on muslim partners of the US war against al Qaeda.
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