Al Qaeda threat worse than pre-9/11 levels, terrorism expert explains

In the 24-years since a group of 19 members of the al Qaeda terrorist group boarded and hijacked four flights in a series of attacks on the U.S. that killed 2,977 people, the infamous network remains the “most dangerous terrorist group” in the world today, warned one expert.

Though terrorist groups like ISIS and Hamas have gained immense notoriety over the last several years due to their brutal tactics, Bill Roggio, expert analyst and senior editor of Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ “Long War Journal,” explained to Fox News Digital that the threat posed by al Qaeda is far more sweeping today.

“The most dangerous terrorist group 24 years after 9/11 remains al Qaeda,” Roggio said. “With the support of the Taliban, the situation there is far worse than it was pre-9/11.”

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Roggio explained that not only is al Qaeda running training camps in at least 13 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan, its global operations have only continued to expand in the last two decades across the Middle East and Africa.

“Its global organization remains intact. It controls probably more than a third of Somalia and then, it’s 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.

“President [Donald] Trump, even welcomed the takeover, the ouster of Bashar Al Assad. This was a mistake, in my estimation,” he added. “It’s a group that has proven to be clever, to be committed.”

Roggio explained that his chief concern when it comes to terrorism nearly two-and-half decades after 9/11 is the safe haven they have been granted, and the public’s sentiment towards the various groups.  

“The number one concern I have for the threat of terrorism is the rise in safe havens for these groups,” he said. “Afghanistan – al Qaeda, running training camps, the Iranians continuing to provide safe haven, countries like Iraq, where the Shia militias are permitted to operate, al-Shabab – al Qaeda branch in Somalia – has safe haven in the areas they control.” 

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“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,” Roggio added. 

Terrorist groups have increasingly gained access to more sophisticated weaponry through state support like that provided by Iran to groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

But the ease of access to technological developments like AI and accessible technology like drones has further increased the threat level that these groups pose.

Roggio also pointed out that the groups do not 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.

Groups that either did not exist or were a “shadow” of themselves prior to 9/11 and worked on a cellular level now have “armies across the globe,” explained Roggio. 

But he also pointed out that open public support for groups that have carried out immense atrocities and human rights violations are also on the rise.

“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 explained that there is a lack of “will” to fully address why there is a rise in extremism and how to best counter that, which cannot be done militarily alone, but by countering radical ideology.

“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.”