Is Libya an 'arms bazaar' for terrorists?
| WASHINGTON
Al Qaeda may be down but it is not out, according to President Obama鈥檚 chief counterterrorism adviser, and keeping Libya鈥檚 exposed cache of weapons out of the terrorist organization鈥檚 hands is just the latest focus of the nation鈥檚 counterterror effort.
鈥淲e have indications that individuals of various stripes are looking to Libya and seeing it as an arms bazaar,鈥� said John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, at a Monitor breakfast Thursday. 鈥淲e are concerned about the potential for certain weapons to get into the hands of terrorists.鈥�
The White House counterterrorism chief鈥檚 attention to Libya and the potential vulnerability of its chemical and biological weapons comes amid reports that the fugitive Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Qaddafi, may be planning a last stand from his remaining strongholds, where he could deploy deadly gases against rebel forces.
Colonel Qaddafi is known to have accumulated a large stockpile of mustard gas, and recently seized documents suggest that the regime in its final hours last month shipped large numbers of gas masks and chemical-protection suits to Qaddafi鈥檚 bases of support.
The need for vigilance over Libya鈥檚 weapons stockpiles was just one focus of Mr. Brennan鈥檚 wide-ranging discussion with reporters to mark this week鈥檚 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Much of the weekend鈥檚 commemorations will appropriately center on remembering the attacks鈥� victims, he said, but he added that Americans should also reflect on the progress the nation has made in thwarting those bent on harming it.
This is 鈥渁 time for the American people to feel proud about what has been accomplished in the last decade,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is much more difficult now for Al Qaeda to carry out an attack here.鈥�
Still, Brennan鈥檚 focus on the advances the US has made in counterterrorism and in homeland security since 9/11 appeared aimed at least in part at countering signs of the American public鈥檚 creeping inattention to a continuing terrorist threat. Already evidence from some polls suggest that Americans have higher pressing priorities, which could lead to pressure for cuts in counterterrorism and security spending.
Every day the US is 鈥渟tronger and better prepared鈥� to address threats, he said, but 鈥渢hat doesn鈥檛 mean the terrorists can't find seams鈥� for getting through and mounting another attack.
In other highlights, the White House counterterrorism chief:
- Praised Pakistan for its recent intelligence cooperation with the US, citing the counterterrorism relationship as a contributing factor in the killing in Pakistan last month of Al Qaeda鈥檚 second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman.
- Cautioned that the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, is taking advantage of Yemen鈥檚 continuing political instability, holding on to territory and transitioning into the role of a full-blown insurgency.
- Cited Saudi Arabia as a leading example of a broader international 鈥渟ea change鈥� since the 9/11 attacks in many countries鈥� perception of and attention to terrorism.
- Insisted that closing the 骋耻补苍迟谩苍补尘辞 detention facility remains the goal of the Obama administration despite numerous 鈥渃ongressional roadblocks鈥� that have slowed the effort.
Brennan also said the trove of materials seized in the raid of Osama bin Baden鈥檚 compound in Pakistan revealed that the Al Qaeda leader was still bent on attacking the US. Some documents suggest Mr. bin Laden was having trouble accepting that mounting a successful attack had become more difficult.
鈥淗e was a little out of touch with just how debilitated his organization was,鈥� Brennan said. 鈥淗is lieutenants were trying to tell him that.鈥�
If the materials seized at the Abbottabad compound held any surprises, he added, it was 鈥� contrary to what was 鈥渁ssumed all around鈥� 鈥� that Pakistan did not have any 鈥渃omplicity鈥� in bin Laden鈥檚 ability to maintain a refuge in the country.
鈥淚 have not seen anything to suggest the Pakistanis were aiding his refuge in Abbottabad,鈥� he said. If there was any official complicity, he added, 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 seen it.鈥�
