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Al-Qaeda's Economic Crisis

[Washington Institute for Near East Policy] Richard Barrett - Al-Qaeda's immediate reaction to the financial crisis has been to claim credit for the economic misfortunes of the West. Yet, unlike their Taliban hosts who are heavily involved in the lucrative drug trade, al-Qaeda leaders do not currently have significant financial resources. This contrasts sharply with the situation before 9/11 when the annual al-Qaeda budget was some $20-30 million a year, of which several million went to the Taliban. Because of its tenuous financial state, al-Qaeda often asks for money. Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, whom the 9/11 Commission Report identified as al-Qaeda's chief financier, and who is now considered the head of al-Qaeda operations in Afghanistan, often makes direct appeals for donations. In an interview in mid-2008, he stated that al-Qaeda had many potential suicide bombers but lacked the resources to equip them. The writer is the coordinator of the al-Qaeda, Taliban Monitoring Team appointed by the UN Secretary-General.
2009-03-12 06:00:00
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