AL QAEDA'S STRUCTURE

The recent arrests of al Qaeda operatives reveals more about their current organizational structure. What emerges is a highly redundant organization that reveals few weaknesses. It's important to note that this represents only bin Laden's portion of the growing number of ventures that now call themselves "al Qaeda." Here's the overview of a proposed structure:

• A core that controls broad strategic direction and financing. This core group (bin Laden and Zawahiri) are buffered by a layered courier network.
  
• Portfolio managers, key financiers, and communications nodes. The portfolio managers control multiple cells that conduct operations in a given region. Financiers manage cash flows and connections to funding sources. There are few connections between any two at this level (control of financing is a key attribute of bin Laden's power in the network). Most connectivity is downward to the next level. Communications nodes manage Internet connectivity for high flow information sharing (mostly for intelligence moving upward, moderate flow for operations/plans).
  
• Entrepreneurs, Finance admin, Intelligence, and Operations (in aggregate mid-level management). These people manage sparse cells. Entrepreneurs have a high degree of latitude. They can opt for other sources of financing to gain independence (or start their own portfolio). These cells are run in parallel, redundant, and are limited in scope (all of which aids robustness).
  
• Foot soldiers and administrative support. These people are drawn from a virtually bottomless pool of ad hoc members. Connections are based on personal relationships (previous face-to-face experience) with entrepreneurs and other mid-level management.
  
• Family and sympathetic supporters. These people are added ad-hoc based on the needs of individuals in the next layer up. Strong personal connections are key here. This pool is the source of recruitment for higher levels.

Comments

[Randy Charles Morin]

But do they use Linkedin.com?

[joetucker]

I have to say that reading this and then listening to some of the comments by captured terrorists lead one to believe that we frequently overestimate the sophistication of global guerillas. Ockham's Razor would lead one to believe that 9/11 didn't happen because al-queda was so much more devious than we could have possibly imagined....it happened because we screwed up and missed lots of signs like a) the terrorists stupidly using their actual names when booking air fares, b) the terrorists stupidly using their actual names when repeatedly booking scouting flights, c) the terrorists having no idea that two or three of them were wanted by the CIA - but INS/FBI were too incompetent to relay to CIA that they were in the country, buying things with credit cards. Let's face it, you only have to be about one level above completely incompetent to outwit a system that tries to give you a work visa six months after you commit the worst terrorist atrocity in the country's history. I dont' think al-queda is well organized. i think we suck. I think al-queda is filled with superstitious half wits and if we were mildly competent and focused we could snuff it out in about half a year. If i had to choose between "highly secretive and redundant organization structure with cunning strategists at the top" vs the "bunch of ignorant and loosely organized morons running around in tribal regions in which it's hard for us to get information"....um, I'd choose B.

[Leos Klein]

I am a utter and complete pychopath who wants to kill poeple for no reason!
BWHAHAHAhHAHAHAhAHAHAHA!

I live in the gates of hell a.k.a Newcastle-Under_Lyme College

BUH BYE

[Chloe]

What can the average person to undermine terrorism and counter-productive responses to it, ie the 'war' on terror?

[reis]

To the last posted comment, Chloe. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Don't get caught up in reacting to anyone's violence.
Visualize what your world should look like and create it, without killing anyone.
Figure out for yourself, what you and your family and friends and the people that you work with are going to do without oil, because it's coming soon and that's what this is all about.

[kiki]

I disagree that the whole terrorist situation is about oil, okay it has a big part in it but Al Qa'ida's eventual aim is to de-westernise the world and turn it muslim fundamenatlist.