Confessions by Islamic fundamentalists under the command of Bin Laden’ s deputy, have revealed bow—years before the September 11 attacks—the terrorists established sleeper cells across the western world and were planning complicated attacks.
In more than 10,000 pages of Egyptian state security documents, Britain is named as one of the key bases of Al-Zawahift’ s Islamic Jihad organization. Three leading member of its ruling council were based in London and it was also an important fundraising center, making money through fanning and even restoring houses in London.
Among the terrorist leader’s agents living in America in the early 1990s were a communications specialist, a special forcer officer, two wealthy doctors and a chain of fundraisers. One operative with American citizenship, codenamed Adam, was planted in the United States in 1987 and then helped to co-ordinate communications, send false documentation and finance terrorists. Adam, the son of an Egypt Air pilot, was also instructed to get flight training. Another agent, a former Egyptian special forces officer, worked with the American army before providing personal security advice to Bin Laden in Sudan in 1992.
Compiled by the Egyptian Defense Ministry, the documents provide the most authoritative account yet of the Islamic Jihad organization and of Al-Zawahiri, whom many suspect the inspiration behind the September 11 attacks. One of the most important hijackers, Mohammed Atta, was an Egyptian from Cairo. He, too, is suspected of being a member of Al-Zawahiri organization.
The documents reveal how Islamic Jihad, now considered part of Bin Laden’ s Al-Qaeda network, was being funded in Egypt from Bin Laden’ s personal fortune from the early 1990s. A base in Santa Clara, California, was used from 1990 to coordinate communications with terrorists’ Cells around the world, including Bin Laden’ s Sudanese base. Other operatives were based in New York. American army manuals and topographical maps were translated into Arabic for terrorist training. Sources of funds of the terrorist network included the sugar trade and sheep rearing in Albania as well as the renovation of old houses in London.
Hani Al-Sibai, a third alleged member of the shura at that time, lives with his wife and five children in Hammersmith, west London. Sources say he has split with Al-Zawahiri, at least since 1999. Al-Sibai, a lawyer, denies any link with Islamic Jihad. He said he had known Al-Zawahiri in the past but was himself a “quiet man” who had never committed a crime.
1. According to the text, confessions of Islamic fundamentalists tells how （ ）
2. From the text, we learn that （ ）
3. The text suggests that （ ）
4. According to Egyptian Defense Ministry, who is the suspect of September 11 attacks?
5. By saying that he himself is a “quiet man”, Al-Sibai means that （ ）
