According to Taliban Commander, Al-Qaeda Is Not Destroyed

The strength of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization is 3,500 people and its militants intend to continue their jihad (holy war) everywhere in the world, including the struggle against American troops in Afghanistan.

That statement was made by Gazi Mullah, a Taliban field commander who added in his interview given to the Pakistani "News" newspaper at one of the available secret bases at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan that the organization was not destroyed but on the contrary "was prepared to wage new battles." According to the militant, the full name of the organization presently is "Al-Qaeda Al-Jihad." Gazi Mullah explained that at the end of August 2001 a month and a half prior to the commencement of the American military operation in Afghanistan two groupings, "Al-Qaeda Ansarullah" of Osama bin Laden and "Jamaat Al-Jihad" of Aiman Al-Zavahiri, officially merged and at that time the organization adopted its new name. Both terrorist leaders signed a political manifesto. According to the newspaper, they allegedly attached to it a list of 3,501 names of activists of that organization and a certain operative action plan.

According to Gazi Mullah, Al-Qaeda was established to struggle against the USA, United Kingdom, Russia, Israel and India which "oppressed Muslim peoples." Gazi Mullah also described the Al-Qaeda's plan of the new summer military campaign in Afghanistan. According to him, with this objective new camps will be created all over the country to train mojaheddin militants and "Washington and New York would shudder as a result of their future attacks."