Al Qaeda Expanding Recruitment Of Children
Written for CBSNews.com by Farhan Bokhari, reporting from Islamabad.
Al Qaeda has successfully established a network for recruiting boys as young as 12 from across central Asia as it seeks new volunteers to enlarge its team of prospective suicide bombers and militants fighters, senior security officials from the Middle East have revealed to CBS News.
News of al Qaeda venturing into the former Soviet central Asian republics with a population that has a largely Muslim heritage marks a significant addition to reports earlier this year that the hardline group had recruited young boys in the Pak-Afghan border region.
Last May, a senior Pakistani security official showed a rare video clip to CBS News documenting a boy, barely 12 years old, using a machete to severe the head of a middle-aged man whom militants probably suspected as being a spy for the U.S.
In an execution which typified the Taliban brand of quick justice, that boy severed the head of his victim who was completely tied up and thrown on the ground as a crowd of hundreds of spectators cheered.
The mountains visible in the background of the video suggest that it was carried out in the rugged terrain somewhere in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"The effort to recruit young boys for the cause has been extended to central Asia. We have reports that this effort may now be up to two years old," said one senior Middle Eastern security official who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.
He said al Qaeda appears to have had more success in central Asian countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - the two states at the center of Islamic militancy - compared to other central Asian republics.
Though impossible to document the scale on which al Qaeda has successfully recruited young boys, the security official said, "You are looking at maybe a few hundred such cases."
While confirming the report of al Qaeda recruiting boys in central Asia, another Middle East security official said the militant group was eager to build its ranks in the former Soviet republics, which are seen as an emerging important frontier.
"There is too much pressure on al Qaeda in the Pak-Afghan region, so they are looking at others areas to spread their wings," said the second official who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.
"They (al Qaeda) probably believe that heading out to central Asia would be good for their cause. One big advantage is that, unlike the Pak-Afghan region, there is less focus by the U.S. in central Asia" - a reference to the large presence of U.S. military forces on the ground in Afghanistan.
News of this recruitment pattern comes as Pakistani authorities on Friday braced for the first anniversary of last year's military attack on the "Lal" (red) mosque in the center of Islamabad, once a nerve centre of Islamic militants.
The late Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, a firebrand Islamic preacher from the mosque, had vowed to establish an Islamic system of justice, and last summer ordered his followers to enforce strict Islamic interpretations. The edict included attacking shops selling music CDs.
The stand-off surrounding the mosque revealed that a number of armed militants who fought the military last year had joined hardline groups when they were still teenagers. The fighting culminated with the killing of Ghazi and his co-militants.
Islamic hardliners have now promised to commemorate the anniversary on Sunday, when many who sympathized with Ghazi's cause are expected to visit the mosque and pay their respects.
Farhan Bokhari has been covering Southeast Asia for several large European news organizations for 16 years. Based in Islamabad, he focuses his coverage on politics and security issues surrounding the war against terrorism.
By Farhan Bokhari
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Al Qaeda has successfully established a network for recruiting boys as young as 12 from across central Asia as it seeks new volunteers to enlarge its team of prospective suicide bombers and militants fighters, senior security officials from the Middle East have revealed to CBS News.
News of al Qaeda venturing into the former Soviet central Asian republics with a population that has a largely Muslim heritage marks a significant addition to reports earlier this year that the hardline group had recruited young boys in the Pak-Afghan border region.
Last May, a senior Pakistani security official showed a rare video clip to CBS News documenting a boy, barely 12 years old, using a machete to severe the head of a middle-aged man whom militants probably suspected as being a spy for the U.S.
In an execution which typified the Taliban brand of quick justice, that boy severed the head of his victim who was completely tied up and thrown on the ground as a crowd of hundreds of spectators cheered.
The mountains visible in the background of the video suggest that it was carried out in the rugged terrain somewhere in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"The effort to recruit young boys for the cause has been extended to central Asia. We have reports that this effort may now be up to two years old," said one senior Middle Eastern security official who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.
He said al Qaeda appears to have had more success in central Asian countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - the two states at the center of Islamic militancy - compared to other central Asian republics.
Though impossible to document the scale on which al Qaeda has successfully recruited young boys, the security official said, "You are looking at maybe a few hundred such cases."
While confirming the report of al Qaeda recruiting boys in central Asia, another Middle East security official said the militant group was eager to build its ranks in the former Soviet republics, which are seen as an emerging important frontier.
"There is too much pressure on al Qaeda in the Pak-Afghan region, so they are looking at others areas to spread their wings," said the second official who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.
"They (al Qaeda) probably believe that heading out to central Asia would be good for their cause. One big advantage is that, unlike the Pak-Afghan region, there is less focus by the U.S. in central Asia" - a reference to the large presence of U.S. military forces on the ground in Afghanistan.
News of this recruitment pattern comes as Pakistani authorities on Friday braced for the first anniversary of last year's military attack on the "Lal" (red) mosque in the center of Islamabad, once a nerve centre of Islamic militants.
The late Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, a firebrand Islamic preacher from the mosque, had vowed to establish an Islamic system of justice, and last summer ordered his followers to enforce strict Islamic interpretations. The edict included attacking shops selling music CDs.
The stand-off surrounding the mosque revealed that a number of armed militants who fought the military last year had joined hardline groups when they were still teenagers. The fighting culminated with the killing of Ghazi and his co-militants.
Islamic hardliners have now promised to commemorate the anniversary on Sunday, when many who sympathized with Ghazi's cause are expected to visit the mosque and pay their respects.
Farhan Bokhari has been covering Southeast Asia for several large European news organizations for 16 years. Based in Islamabad, he focuses his coverage on politics and security issues surrounding the war against terrorism.
By Farhan Bokhari
Based on a true story
starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts
A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson''''s covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
Posted by IOWEIGN at 12:50 PM : Jul 05, 2008
+ report abuse
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a movie told you????????
i once saw a movie where al franken dressed in dragged and was so insecure that he had to talk to a mirror..
should i believe that??
hollywood is a liberal sh*tbed...
question is do we really need Israel? I don''t think so. Israel is a burden on us american tax payers, we could use our money here in USA. we don''t need backstabers. If muslims were not in that part then the battle would''ve been with christans and JEWS in that part of the world. Just like British Jews were doing to IRISH (IRA), see the new perspective. Anyway, we don''t need Israel for the simple fact that they are not in our good interest.
NOW i read that Israel can''t fight IRAN if USA won''t help Israel. I mean come on more American TAX $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
So all of you American Israeli supporters get ready to shell out some more doe without your permission JEWS will take you money like they always did. Us hard working Americans will be homeless for long, long time. ww3 coming soon. under construction by the Israeli JEWS.
Posted by globalcool08 at 11:28 AM : Jul 05, 2008
I have faith in the belief that if there was a contest for most hypocritical post, globalcool08 would be the winner.
Posted by hillaryin012 at 07:22 AM : Jul 05, 2008
Charlie Wilson''s War
Based on a true story
starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts
A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson''s covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
Posted by hillaryin012 at 07:22 AM : Jul 05, 2008
You are wrong - we did help the Taliban.
Posted by hotpaulie at 10:15 AM : Jul 05, 2008
dubya claims to be on our side in the WOT but, considering his policies creat more terrorists rather than diminish the number of terrorists, one has to wonder who''s side he''s really on....
I think there is a great demand of Stickers coming up.
Two most in demand are 1)Alqaida / Terroris, 2)Fallen Solder.
As usual contract will go to Haliburton.
Your wisdom might Say, it will be more Quantity of type-1 Stickers. I''m sure, by the end of printing contract,you will be surprised to know that type-2 stickers surpassed the type-1.
40,000 Invaders under retreat from Afghanistan get reduced to one Solder & limping a limping Horse.
Lesson to have already been learnt was, it will always be easy to get to Afghanistan, It needs more courage & sacrifices to Leave Afghanistan.
I leave the question of "number of Terrorist before invasion & After retreat from Afghanistan" for your brain storm.
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Al Qaeda, just like religions, knows that children can be fed any kind of drivel and take it as the truth......