The UAE face Sri Lanka in the semifinals of the Global qualifiers today. The winner of this match will qualify for this year's Women's T20 World Cup
cricket9 hours ago
Although kidnapping was not an entirely new tactic by the network’s core leadership, material retrieved from bin Laden’s residence in Pakistan confirms that it was “discussed further as a way of dealing with funding woes,” a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
After the US raid that killed the Al Qaeda mastermind on May 2, American intelligence officers have been combing through the vast trove of material hauled away from bin Laden’s compound, looking for clues to possible terror attacks and financial patrons.
Even before the raid, spy agencies believed Al Qaeda had been severely weakened and that its funding sources had been squeezed, partly as a result of a US bombing campaign against militant leaders in Pakistan using robotic aircraft.
“It’s clear that Al Qaeda in Pakistan has resorted to kidnapping ransom payments in recent years as one way of raising funds for its terrorist operations,” said a second US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Apart from going after Al-Qaeda leaders in drone strikes, the United States and other governments have sought to track and disrupt funding channels for the group.
Bin Laden had been an important “symbol” that helped Al Qaeda raise money, David Cohen, undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes, told lawmakers last month.
Al-Qaeda’s affiliates have long carried out kidnapping to fund attacks, particularly its north African wing, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM.
The group has been holding four French hostages since September who were abducted in northern Niger as well as an Italian kidnapped in southern Algeria in February.
The UAE face Sri Lanka in the semifinals of the Global qualifiers today. The winner of this match will qualify for this year's Women's T20 World Cup
cricket9 hours ago
The riveting thriller crossed the 3-hour mark before the Pole sealed her incredible comeback victory to gain revenger for her loss to the Belarusian in 2023
sports10 hours ago
He rejects reports that Israel had agreed to end the war as part of a deal to free the hostages
mena11 hours ago
The reigning champions will clinch an unprecedented fourth successive English title if they win their last three matches
sports11 hours ago
Míchel Sánchez's side qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history
sports11 hours ago
The Tractor Boys finish the season on 96 points – just one fewer than champions Leicester - to go from the third tier to the first in successive seasons
sports12 hours ago
A third win in a row pushed the Bengaluru side to seventh place on the points table
sports12 hours ago
The World Food Program is one of the many humanitarian groups trying to get aid into Gaza
mena12 hours ago