Al Qaeda unaffected by Osama’s demise: Analysts

KABUL): A year after the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, experts say the network’s activities remain unaffected. Instead the group has emerged more potent in its attacks, they believe.

Osama, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on US landmarks in 2001,  was killed on May 2,2011 in a secret US Navy SEAL operation inside his house in the Bilal Town area of Abbottabad.

After the operation, the US government announced Osama’s corpse was buried at sea. US officials said his death represented a harsh defeat for the network. But a year later, that assessment seems suspect.

Political analyst Waheed Muzhda told Pajhwok Afghan News that Al Qaeda had shown no sign of weakness after the leader’s demise.

Since the Saudi dissident’s death, the group’s activities had tactically reduced in Afghanistan, while it remains active in some Arabian countries, he said.

“Osama bin Laden had no direct ties to Al Qaeda members when he was alive and all the activities of the group were performed by others, according to the advice of the high council of the network,” he added.

The strength or weakness of Taliban had no relation with the Al Qaeda, he said, commenting on the group’s impact on the Taliban movement. “Now Taliban have reached a stage where they are recognised as a power to be reckoned with, so the presence or absence of Al Qaeda has no links with Taliban operations.”

However, political analyst Gen. Abdul Wahid Taqat said the group’s activities and attacks have increased in Afghanistan and Pakistan since Osama’s death, because Al-Qaeda is an international network and could not be changed by replacing its leader.

“If we look at the casualties and clashes, there is increase in the attacks and casualties of Afghans in the country compared to the past,” he added.

There are no negative changes seen in the network due to the presence of military and expert commanders in its leadership, said another military analyst Shah Nawaz Tanai.

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