[Kagan:] Live pictures on Capitol Hill. This is John Negroponte, the director of national intelligence, making his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Let's listen in.
[John Negroponte, Natl. Intelligence Dir:] Now I turn to the global jihadist threat. Collaboration with our friends and allies around the world has helped us achieve some notable successes against the global jihadist threat. In fact, most of al Qaeda's setbacks last year were the results of our allies efforts, either independently or with our assistance. And since 911 examples of the high level of counterterrorism efforts around the world are many. Pakistan's commitment has enabled some of the most important captures to date. Saudi Arabia's resolve to counter the spread of terrorism has increased. Our relationship with Spain has strengthened since the March 2004 Madrid train bombings. The British have long been our closest counterterrorism partners. The seamless cooperation in the aftermath of the July attacks in London reflect that commitment, while Australia, Canada, France and many other nations remain stout allies. Nonetheless, much remains to be done. The battle is far from over. Jihad is seek to overthrow regimes they regard as apostate, and to eliminate United States influence in the Muslim world. They attack Americans when they can, but most of their targets and victims are fellow Muslims. Nonetheless, the slow pace of economic, social and political change in most Muslim-majority nations continues to fuel a global jihadist movement. The movement is diffuse, and subsumes three quite different types of groups and individuals. First and foremost, al Qaeda, a battered, but resourceful organization. Second, other Sunni jihadist groups, some affiliated with al Qaeda, some not. Third, networks and cells that are the self- generating progeny of al Qaeda. Al Qaeda remains our top concern. We have eliminated much of the leadership that presided over al Qaeda in 2001. And U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts in 2005 continue to disrupt its operation, take out its leaders and deplete its cadre. But the organization's core elements still plot and make preparations for terrorist strikes against the homeland and other targets from bases in Pakistan, Afghanistan border area. They also have gained added reach through their merger with the Iraq-based network of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, which has broadened al Qaeda's appeal within the jihadist community and potentially put new resources at its disposal. Thanks to effective intelligence operations, we know a great deal about al Qaeda's vision. Zawahiri, al Qaeda's number two, is candid in his July 2000 letter to Zarqawi. He portrays the jihad in Iraq as a stepping stone in the march towards a global caliphate, with the focus on Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Israel. Zawahiri stresses the importance of having a secure base in Iraq from which to launch attacks elsewhere, including the United States homeland. In bin Laden's event audio tape, al Qaeda's top leader reaffirms the group's commitment to attack our homeland, and attempts to reassure supporters by claiming that the reason there has been no attack on the United States since 2001 is that he chose not to do so. This week's statement by Zawahiri is another indication that the group's leadership is not completely cut off and can continue to get its message out to followers. The quick turnaround time and the frequency of Zawahiri's statements in the past year underscore the high priority al Qaeda places on propaganda from its most senior leaders. Attacking the United States homeland, United States interests overseas, and United States allies, in that order, are al Qaeda's top operational priorities. The group will attempt high-impact attacks for as long as its central command structure is functioning and affiliated groups are capable of furthering its interests, because even modest operational capabilities can yield a deadly and damaging attack. Although an attack using conventional explosives continues to be the most probable scenario, al Qaeda remains interested in acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials, or weapons, to attack the United States, United States troops and United States interests worldwide. Indeed, today, we are more likely to see an attack from terrorists using weapons or agents of mass destruction than states, although terrorists capabilities would be much more limited. In fact, intelligence reporting indicates that nearly 40 terrorist organizations, insurgency or cults, have used, possessed or expressed an interest in chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agents or weapons. Many of capable of conducting simple, small-scale attacks, such as poisonings or using improvised chemical devices. Al Qaeda inspires other Sunni jihadists. The global jihadist movement also subsumes other Sunni extremist organizations, allied with or inspired by al Qaeda's global anti-Western agenda. These groups pose less danger to the United States homeland than does al Qaedaor mass casualty attacks outside their traditional areas of operation. Jemaah Islamiya is a well-organized group responsible for dozens of attacks, killing hundreds of people in Southeast Asia. The threat of a JI attack against United States interests is greatest in Southeast Asia, but we assess that the group is committed to helping al Qaeda with attacks outside the region. The Islamic Jihad Union, the IJU, which has allied itself with al Qaeda operates in Central Asia and was responsible for the July 2004 attacks the United States and Israeli embassies in Uzbekistan. The Libyan Islamic fighting group, LIFG, was formed to establish an Islamic state in Libya, but since the late 1990s, it has expanded its goal to include anti-Western jihad alongside al Qaeda. LIFG has...
[Kagan:] We've been listening in to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte. He is before the Senate Intelligence Committee. They are talking about, frankly, some scary stuff. Worldwide threats to the United States. Negroponte is saying that al Qaeda remains a top concern in terms of concerns and attacks on the U.S. Now, if you would like to keep listening into these hearings, just go to the Internet CNN.compipeline, and you will have continued live coverage. Also stay with us. We'll have continued in-depth coverage and analysis live in the next hour. Right now, a quick break. We're back after this.