In the wake of the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a chilling warning has been issued by a leading expert.
Despite the rise of other notorious terrorist groups such as ISIS and Hamas, al Qaeda, the group responsible for the 9/11 attacks, remains the "most dangerous terrorist group" in the world today, according to Bill Roggio, senior editor of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies "Long War Journal."
As reported by Fox News, Roggio's analysis suggests that the threat posed by al Qaeda is far more extensive today than it was two decades ago. "The most dangerous terrorist group 24 years after 9/11 remains al Qaeda," Roggio stated. "With the support of the Taliban, the situation there is far worse than it was pre-9/11."
Roggio's concerns stem from the fact that al Qaeda is currently operating training camps in at least 13 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the group's global operations have expanded significantly over the past two decades, spreading across the Middle East and Africa.
"Its global organization remains intact. It controls probably more than a third of Somalia and then, its so-called former affiliate and I'm not convinced the links have been broken now controls the government of Syria, with the Hayat Tahir Al Sham as its leader," Roggio explained.
The expert also criticized the Trump administration's stance on Syria, stating, "President [Donald] Trump, even welcomed the takeover, the ouster of Bashar Al Assad. This was a mistake, in my estimation. It's a group that has proven to be clever, to be committed."
Roggio's primary concern regarding terrorism nearly two-and-half decades after 9/11 is the increasing number of safe havens for these groups and the publics sentiment towards them. "The number one concern I have for the threat of terrorism is the rise in safe havens for these groups," he said.
"This is where, when terrorist groups have the time, the space and the security to plot, to execute, to recruit, to raise funds, they can conduct an attack like 9/11 and they have that in multiple places now."
The expert also highlighted the growing access of terrorist groups to sophisticated weaponry, either through state support or technological advancements. However, he pointed out that these groups do not necessarily need access to top arms or technological advancements to cause real harm.
"Nobody thought that box cutters and some training on airlines would lead to 9/11 and yet it happened," he said.
Roggio also noted that groups that were either non-existent or merely a "shadow" of themselves prior to 9/11 now have "armies across the globe." He also expressed concern over the rising public support for groups that have committed immense atrocities and human rights violations.
"When you look at the attitudes toward jihadist organizations, look at the support for Hamas today the rise in antisemitism and the decrease in support for Israel these are all indicators that things are trending for the jihadist organizations. To me, these are indications that we have lost the war on terror," he added.
Roggio believes that the lack of "will" to fully address the rise in extremism and to counter radical ideology is a significant issue. "We defeated Nazi Germany," he pointed out. "It's something that can be done. We had the will to do it. Our hesitation, our unwillingness, our lack of commitment in these countries has emboldened them and again," Roggio said.
"Until we remove the state sponsorship, until we are able to effectively deal with the purveyors of the radical ideology, these threats will persist."
This analysis serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threats posed by terrorism, and the need for a committed, comprehensive approach to counteract these dangers. It underscores the importance of not underestimating the potential of these groups, and the necessity of addressing the root causes of extremism.
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