MOSCOW, October 4 (Itar-Tass) – International terrorist network Al Qaida will start transforming after the elimination of a number of its former leaders, Alexander Bortnikov, the director of the Russia’s Federal Security Service /FSB/ said Thursday.
“Any organization that is suffering losses begins to transform and to look for new approaches to its operations if it’s subject to serious impact including operative measures and combat operations,” he said.
“One can say with much certainty we’ll have to cooperate with our partners for quite some time as regards the neutralization of activity of the warlords,” Bortnikov said.
He recalled that Al Qaida is still quite active in Maghreb /Northern Africa/ and is involved actively in the operations of various militant groupings, including the ones that engineer terrorist acts. Also, it is expanding its presence in Central African countries.
“Other entities, which we are aware of, are being set up, too,” Bortnikov said. “All of this will enable Al Qaida to continue using its potential actively for continued terrorist activities.”
He indicated that in saying this he took account of the assessments provided by counterparts from the intelligence services and law enforcement agencies of other countries, which the FSB cooperates with.
A conference of the heads of intelligence services and law enforcement agencies that has just ended in Moscow brought together the delegations from 66 countries.