Counter-Terrorism: Recruiting Blondes For The Cause

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February 16, 2009:  Pakistani police arrested a 35 year old "European looking man" with a New Zealand passport, as he tried to enter the tribal territories. The man, identified as Mark Taylor,  had a beard and was dressed in tribal garb. He said he was on his way to South Waziristan, to get married. Police suspect the man may have connections with Islamic militants.

Even before September 11, 2001, there was evidence that al Qaeda was actively recruiting "Western" looking people, men and women, for the purpose of circumventing any resort to profiling to detect terrorist operations. Terrorists have apparently been having some success. The presence of small numbers of "white" – even blond haired-and blue eyed – trainees in al Qaeda training camps in Waziristan has been confirmed. Some of these trainees are from existing Moslem communities in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, while others are recent converts from Europe, the U.S., and other Western nations. Confirmation comes from CIA and other Western intelligence agencies who have been doing a little "profile proof" recruiting of their own, with agents able to "pass" as Moslems actually infiltrating al Qaeda's infrastructure.

 

 

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