Al Qaeda plot: The story behind the story

by Lucky Gold

As dangerous as you can get

An al Qaeda plot, hatched in Yemen, to blow up a commercial aircraft over United States air space was exposed by the CIA, but many questions remain unanswered.

Ali Soufan, former FBI counter terrorist agent and leading expert on al Qaeda in Yemen, appeared exclusively on Amanpour Tuesday.  His unique insights help provide the story behind the story.

It begins with Fahd al-Quso, a Yemeni national and top leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Penninsula, a man with a five million dollar price tag on his head.

“We first identified Fahd al-Quoso,” said Soufan, “as being a member of the (al Qaeda) cell that conducted the USS Cole attack (in 2000).  We were able to arrest him and interrogate him and he provided a significant amount of intelligence about his connections to al Qaeda, about al Qaeda’s role in the USS Cole bombing and t he murder of seventeen sailors…and also about his relationship to Osama bin Laden.”

Soufan added, “He also provided us some information about a meeting…that was a planning summit for the 9-11 attack.  So he is as dangerous as you can get.”

Until now

So why did he provide so much invaluable information?  “It’s the way we interrogate people,” said Soufan. “You have to have deep knowledge of the group.  At one point, he said, ‘Now I remember you.  You were in Kandahar…’ He thought I was undercover…And I speak Arabic.  So he starts trying to recall everything that happened when he was there in order to prove to me that he was cooperating.  And he gave us one main piece of evidence that linked that thing to 9-11.”

But al-Quso was never brought to the United States to stand trial.  “It was way higher than my pay grade at the time,” said Soufan.  “It was something between the U.S. government and the Yemenis.  So the United States government at the time agreed that we would go to Yemen and help the Yemenis prosecute.”

Al-Quso was convicted but later escaped from his Yemeni jail and remained at large – until now.

United States officials investigating the bomb plot unearthed crucial information that led to a drone attack this weekend that killed Fahd al-Quoso.

When asked if the drone attack was linked to the bomb plot, Soufan said, “I will be surprised if it is not.  Because Fahd, since he left Yemeni jail, has been planning very hard to conduct attacks not only inside Yemen but outside Yemen and his name has been linked to many attacks.”

Soufan was then asked if the bomb plot means that al Qaeda is still a threat.  “Absolutely,” he said.  “We had a lot of tactical wins against Al Qaeda but the ideology is still there.”

He gave particular attention to al Qeada in the Arabian Penninsula, based in Yemen.  “Al Qaeda in the Arabian Penninsula is the closest to bin Laden’s version of al Qaeda.”

That’s a good day

Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also appeared on Amanpour but would not confirm that the bomb plot and the drone strike that killed Fahd al-Quoso were connected.

“I can’t reveal classified information,” said Congressman Rogers.  But he did confirm that the plot was aimed at the United States: “It was clearly intended for…a carrier that was destined to enter the United States airspace.”

He, too, was asked if Al Qaeda remains a threat or is on its last legs, in survival mode, as some in the U.S. government have said.

“Clearly it’s a major threat,” said Congressman Rogers.  “Had they been successful, they would have gotten a bomb on an individual on an aircraft that would have exploded over the continental United States.  We have to understand the core leadership of Al Qaeda has been hit very hard – that’s a good day.”

But he warned, “They still have a core element and they still have affiliates that are willing to listen – that combination spells lethality if they’re successful and that’s why we have to be so aggressive about pursuing them wherever we may find them.”

As dangerous as you can get

An Al Qaeda plot, hatched in Yemen, to blow up a commercial aircraft over United States air space was exposed by the CIA, but many questions remain unanswered. 

Ali Soufan, former FBI counter terrorist agent and leading expert on Al Qaeda in Yemen, appeared exclusively on Amanpour Tuesday.  His unique insights help provide the story behind the story.

It begins with Fahd al-Quso, a Yemeni national and top leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Penninsula, a man with a five million dollar price tag on his head.

“We first identified Fahd al-Quoso,” said Soufan, “as being a member of the (Al Qaeda) cell that conducted the USS Cole attack (in 2000).  We were able to arrest him and interrogate him and he provided a significant amount of intelligence about his connections to Al Qaeda, about Al Qaeda’s role in the USS Cole bombing and t he murder of seventeen sailors…and also about his relationship to Osama bin Laden.”

Soufan added, “He also provided us some information about a meeting…that was a planning summit for the 9-11 attack.  So he is as dangerous as you can get.”

Until now

So why did he provide so much invaluable information?  “It’s the way we interrogate people,” said Soufan. “You have to have deep knowledge of the group.  At one point, he said, ‘Now I remember you.  You were in Kandahar…’ He thought I was undercover…And I speak Arabic.  So he starts trying to recall everything that happened when he was there in order to prove to me that he was cooperating.  And he gave us one main piece of evidence that linked that thing to 9-11.”

But al-Quso was never brought to the United States to stand trial.  “It was way higher than my pay grade at the time,” said Soufan.  “It was something between the U.S. government and the Yeminis.  So the United States government at the time agreed that we would go to Yemen and help the Yemenis prosecute.”

Al-Quso was convicted but later escaped from his Yemeni jail and remained at large – until now.

United States officials investigating the bomb plot unearthed crucial information that led to a drone attack this weekend that killed Fahd al-Quoso.

When asked if the drone attack was linked to the bomb plot, Soufan said, “I will be surprised if it is not.  Because Fahd, since he left Yemeni jail, has been planning very hard to conduct attacks not only inside Yemen but outside Yemen and his name has been linked to many attacks.”

Soufan was then asked if the bomb plot means that Al Qaeda is still a threat.  “Absolutely,” he said.  “We had a lot of tactical wins against Al Qaeda but the ideology is still there.”

He gave particular attention to Al Qeada in the Arabian Penninsula, based in Yemen.  “Al Qaeda in the Arabian Penninsula is the closest to bin Laden’s version of Al Qaeda.”

That’s a good day

Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also appeared on Amanpour but would not confirm that the bomb plot and the drone strike that killed Fahd al-Quoso were connected.

“I can’t reveal classified information,” said Congressman Rogers.  But he did confirm that the plot was aimed at the United States: “It was clearly intended for…a carrier that was destined to enter the United States airspace.”

He, too, was asked if Al Qaeda remains a threat or is on its last legs, in survival mode, as some in the U.S. government have said.

“Clearly it’s a major threat,” said Congressman Rogers.  “Had they been successful, they would have gotten a bomb on an individual on an aircraft that would have exploded over the continental United States.  We have to understand the core leadership of Al Qaeda has been hit very hard – that’s a good day.”

But he warned, “They still have a core element and they still have affiliates that are willing to listen – that combination spells lethality if they’re successful and that’s why we have to be so aggressive about pursuing them wherever we may find them.”