Forwarded from: Bob <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

http://computerworld.com/printthis/2002/0,4814,76000,00.html

By DAN VERTON
NOVEMBER 18, 2002

A London-based fundamentalist Islamic cleric with known ties to Osama
bin Laden said al-Qaeda and various other fundamentalist Muslim groups
around the world are actively planning to use the Internet as a weapon
in their "defensive" jihad, or holy war, against the West.

In an exclusive interview today with Computerworld, Sheikh Omar Bakri
Muhammad, founder of the London-based group Jama'at Al-Muhajirun and
the spokesman for Osama bin Laden's International Islamic Front for
Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, said all types of technology,
including the Internet, are being studied for use in the global jihad
against the West.

"In a matter of time you will see attacks on the stock market," Bakri
said, referring specifically to the markets in New York, London and
Tokyo.

His comments represent the first time that a high-profile radical
Muslim cleric with known links to bin Laden has spoken publicly about
the use of cybertactics for offensive purposes.

According to Bakri, a Syrian-born Muslim cleric whom the FBI and
British intelligence have tied to some of the Sept. 11 hijackers and
others seeking flight training in the U.S., Islam justifies the use of
"all types of technologies" in the defense of Muslim lands, including
psychological and economic weapons "or a weapon of mass destruction."

Jihad groups around the world are very active on the Internet, Bakri
said, speaking from a cell phone near his north London office. And
while his group, Jama'at Al-Muhajirun, is primarily focused on
supporting the political goals of Al-Qaeda and other radical Islamic
groups, Bakri said the military wings of these various groups are also
using and studying the Internet for their own operations.

"That is what al-Qaeda is skillful with," said Bakri. "I would not be
surprised if tomorrow I hear of a big economic collapse because of
somebody attacking the main technical systems in big companies," he
said, referring to an ongoing threat of an attack.

To date, al-Qaeda's cybercapabilities have been the subject of much
debate. Most Internet security professionals have doubted such groups'
interest in cybertactics on the grounds that physical bombings and
other forms of attack provide the fear and bloodshed that al-Qaeda is
looking for. However, in recent statements made by bin Laden, the
terror leader has shown a clear desire to inflict catastrophic damage
on the U.S. economy as a way to force the U.S. to withdraw its
military forces from Afghanistan and to curtail its support for
Israel.

"There are millions of Muslims around the world involved in hacking
the Pentagon and Israeli government sites," said Bakri. "The struggle
will continue," he said, referring to the millions of young bin Laden
supporters who are now studying computer science as a way to support
the cause.

"I believe that Osama bin Laden has earned his leadership and most
[Muslim students] who are graduating in computer science and computer
programming and IT technology are supporting Osama bin Laden," Bakri
said.

"I would advise those who doubt al-Qaeda's interest in cyberweapons to
take Osama bin Laden very seriously," he said. "The third letter from
Osama bin Laden a few months ago was clearly addressing using the
technology in order to destroy the economy of the capitalist states.

"This is a matter that is very clear, and Osama bin Laden must be
taken very seriously."



-
ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org

To unsubscribe email [EMAIL PROTECTED] with 'unsubscribe isn'
in the BODY of the mail.

Reply via email to