Al-Qaeda activities in Europe
The international activities of Al-Qaeda includes involvements in Europe, where members of the group have been involved in militant and terrorist activities in several countries. Al-Qaeda has been responsible for or involved in attacks in Western Europe and Russia, including the 2004 Madrid train bombings,[1] 2010 Moscow Metro bombings,[2] 2011 Domodedovo International Airport bombing,[3] and the January 2015 Île-de-France attacks.[4]
Eastern Europe
North Caucasus
Al-Qaeda linked militants organized around the Caucasus Emirate have been involved in the
In 2010, Russian police shot and killed a militant in the Russian republic of Dagestan. The man was later determined to be one of the co-founders of the North Caucasus branch of al-Qaeda. The man's name was Mohamed Shaaban.[citation needed]
Northern Europe
Sweden
On 11 December 2010, a man linked to Al-Qaeda exploded a car bomb and a suicide bomb in Stockholm, killing only himself and injuring two others. Firefighters reported that the car had a gas cylinder, resulting in further explosions.[7] He was later revealed to be Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, an Iraqi man,[8] who was born in Baghdad and was granted Swedish citizenship in 1992.[9]
United Kingdom
In 2003
The men behind the
Southern Europe
Bosnian War
During the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, al-Qaeda is considered to have been involved with organising volunteers for the Bosnian mujahideen.[22][23] Al-Qaeda leaders including Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri are thought to have visited camps in Bosnia during the war.[24] The volunteer mujahideen from all over the world flocked there, including France, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Morocco, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Yemen.[25]
Italy
In May 2009 two French nationals were detained by
In 2012, a pentito of the Camorra stated that, the criminal organisation was in contact with members of Al-Qaeda and aware of incoming terrorist attacks. The organisation was informed that "something involving airplanes would have happened" and that Al-Qaeda was planning a train bombing in Spain.[27]
In 2015, the Vatican was listed as a possible target for an attack by people associated with al-Qaeda.[28]
Kosovo War
Islamist elements in the
Spain
The 11 March 2004 train bombings in
Western Europe
A Europe-wide
In December 2000, the "Frankfurt Group", an Al-Qaeda cell consisting of more than ten terrorists from Germany, France and the United Kingdom led by bin Laden deputy Mohammed Bensakhria was rounded up by law enforcement.[43] The group had planned to bomb the Strasbourg Cathedral on New Year's Eve.[44][45]
France
In October 2009 a physicist of
In January 2015, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was responsible for coordinated attacks in Paris, including the Charlie Hebdo shooting, killing several people.[4][48]
Germany
In September 2009 security measures were heightened in response to a direct threat against Germany, through an Al-Qaeda video, the threat came about due to German participation in the Afghanistan war[49][50][51] Osama bin Laden stated:[52][53]
It is shameful to be part of an alliance whose leader does not care about spilling the blood of human beings by bombing villages intentionally. If you had seen [the mass killings] of your American allies and their helpers in northern Afghanistan ... then you would understand the bloody events in Madrid and London,[54]
See also
- Al-Qaeda involvement in Africa
- Al-Qaeda involvement in the Middle East
- Islamic terrorism in Europe
External links
- Foiled Plot Offers Clues to Recent Absence of Major Terror Attacks on West, Wednesday, 9 Sept. 2009 Archived 14 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- Al-Qaida's jihad in Europe: the Afghan-Bosnian network By Evan Kohlmann
Further reading
- Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of International Jihad, by ISBN 978-1-59102-433-0.[55]
- Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network, by Evan F. Kohlmann. ISBN 978-1-85973-807-8.[56]
References
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- ^ "Chechen rebel claims Metro blasts". BBC News. 31 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
- ^ Steve Rosenberg (8 February 2011). "Chechen warlord Doku Umarov admits Moscow airport bomb". BBC News.
- ^ a b "Al Qaeda in Yemen Claims Charlie Hebdo Attack". Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Russia 'kills al-Qaeda operative'". BBC News. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "Al-Qaeda seeks foothold in North Caucasus". Janes.com. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ISSN 1101-2412. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ^ a b "The Times Al-Qaeda's Heathrow jet plot revealed". The Times. UK. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "Security chief: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'". CNN. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "CNN.com - Agent infiltrated terror cell, U.S. says - Aug 11, 2006". CNN. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Three Britons found guilty of transatlantic jet bombing plot". The News International. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "UK | Three guilty of airline bomb plot". BBC News. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "Al Qaeda podría intentar otro atentado con aviones comerciales en Occidente". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 9 September 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "UK court convicts 3 of plot to blow up airliners International". The Jerusalem Post. Associated Press. 7 September 2009. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Sandford, Daniel (7 September 2009). "UK | Airline plot: Al-Qaeda connection". BBC News. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Do G1, com agências internacionais. "Três britânicos são condenados por ter planejado explodir aviões em 2006" (in Portuguese). G1.globo.com. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Plano para atacar aviões teria elo com Al-Qaeda paquistanesa" (in Portuguese). Noticias.terra.com.br. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "Beramers vliegtuigaanslagen veroordeeld" (in Dutch). Knack.be. 29 December 2011. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ISBN 9781585442614.
- ^ PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, A New Constitution for Bosnia, 22 November 2005
- ISBN 9780863568435.
- ^ "It's no wonder today's jihadis have set out on the path to war in". The Independent. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Italy arrests 'al-Qaeda plotters'". BBC News. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ ""11 settembre, camorra informata in anticipo dell'attentato" Leggi il racconto choc del pentito". Il Mattino (in Italian). Naples, Italy: Caltagirone Editore. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ Greg Botelho, Don Melvin and Hada Messia (24 April 2015). "Italy: Suspects discussed Vatican attack". CNN. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-307-79772-8.
- ^ "Bin Laden, Albania Link Reported". AP NEWS.
- ^ "Behind the Headlines". antiwar.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Madrid train bombings of 2004 | Description & Facts". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "The New Al-Qaeda: Madrid bombings". 21 July 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ Judgment of the attacks Archived 1 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine. El país, 2008.
- ^ Al Qaeda claimed the attacks in Madrid. 20 minutos, 2007.
- ^ "Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group". Stanford University. 6 August 2012.
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- ^ "European Police Raids Target World Cup Terrorist Threat". Los Angeles Times. 27 May 1998. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "1998 Global Terrorism: Europe Overview". fas.org. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Spanish police arrest Bin Laden suspect". The Guardian. 23 June 2001. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ FFI Rapport
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Five Linked to Al Qaeda Face Trial in Germany". The Washington Post. 15 April 2002.
- ^ "Chronology: The Plots". PBS Frontline. 25 January 2005.
- ^ a b "Scientist on French terror charge". BBC News. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "JPost – French physicist admits to emailing al-Qaida". The Jerusalem Post. Associated Press. Retrieved 4 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Charlie Hebdo shooting | Facts, Victims, & Response". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Germany on edge after fourth consecutive al-Qaeda bomb attack warning". The Times. UK. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Gardner, Frank (22 September 2009). "Europe | Al-Qaeda video threat to Germany". BBC News. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Issn 1999-8414), Andreas Klamm, Journalist (3mnewswire org / Mjb Mission News (26 September 2009). "German Elections: Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda Network Threatens Germany". John Baptist Mission international (Togo, Africa). Retrieved 3 November 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Bin Laden demands Europe withdraw Afghanistan troops". Reuters. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Bin Laden demands Europe withdraw Afghanistan troops". Reuters. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ "South Asia | 'Bin Laden' urges Afghan pull-out". BBC News. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of International Jihad. ASIN 1591024331.
- ISBN 1859738079.