(New York Times) Eric Schmitt - Al-Qaeda's top leadership in Pakistan has secretly dispatched more than a dozen seasoned veterans to Syria, according to senior American and European intelligence and counterterrorism officials. The operatives have been told to create an alternate headquarters in Syria and lay the groundwork for establishing an emirate through al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Nusra Front, to compete with the Islamic State. A Syria-based Qaeda state would not only be within closer striking distance of Europe but would also benefit from the recruiting and logistical support of fighters from Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.
2016-05-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive