Al-Qaeda, known for its spectacular attacks on US embassies, navy ships and symbols of military and economic power, may be fine-tuning its targets to cause maximum damage to the Western economy.
Recent Jihadist chatter on the Internet suggests both exultation about the economic crisis gripping the West and a call for what can be labeled as “Econo-Jihad,” targeting Western financial systems and economic infrastructure. This is not simply a new propaganda spin. Monitoring Al-Qaeda’s online statements, videos, audio messages, letters and press releases reveals that Jihadists see Econo-Jihad as a promising weapon of terror and the current financial crisis as a result of their activities. In fact, crippling the Western economy may now be the primary goal for the Jihadists.
While not a new idea for Osama bin Laden and his supporters, Econo-Jihad has recently become more appealing for them. As long ago as 2002, Al-Qaeda claimed that its strategy was to reduce America to economic ruin. On its now defunct website, alneda.com, the movement’s propagandists assured its followers that even though the September 11, 2001, attacks had failed to deliver the knockout blow Osama bin Laden had intended, they needn’t despair. Just as the Muja?hideen had triumphed against all odds over the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, defeat of the United States was inevitable.
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