Inside al Qaeda | National Geographic

along the border of Afghanistan and

along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan this is a lawless expanse of

Pakistan this is a lawless expanse of

Pakistan this is a lawless expanse of tribal land uncovered and largely

tribal land uncovered and largely

tribal land uncovered and largely untouched by the Afghan and Pakistani

untouched by the Afghan and Pakistani

untouched by the Afghan and Pakistani government’s bin Laden and Zawahiri have

government’s bin Laden and Zawahiri have

government’s bin Laden and Zawahiri have set up new training camps here amidst a

set up new training camps here amidst a

set up new training camps here amidst a network of thousands of trails and some

network of thousands of trails and some

network of thousands of trails and some of the highest mountains on earth the

of the highest mountains on earth the

of the highest mountains on earth the border crossing itself is rugged and

border crossing itself is rugged and

border crossing itself is rugged and chaotic but this Pakistani military

chaotic but this Pakistani military

chaotic but this Pakistani military officer insists that al Qaeda figures

officer insists that al Qaeda figures

officer insists that al Qaeda figures cannot enter Pakistan without being

cannot enter Pakistan without being

cannot enter Pakistan without being detected

detected

detected there’s the entry place from where

there’s the entry place from where

there’s the entry place from where people come in to Pakistan and cross

people come in to Pakistan and cross

people come in to Pakistan and cross over to Afghanistan you see along the

over to Afghanistan you see along the

over to Afghanistan you see along the border we have created all those fence

border we have created all those fence

border we have created all those fence and barbed wire to prevent any illegal

and barbed wire to prevent any illegal

and barbed wire to prevent any illegal crossing into the country but an

crossing into the country but an

crossing into the country but an American official says the border is

American official says the border is

American official says the border is more porous than the Pakistanis are

more porous than the Pakistanis are

more porous than the Pakistanis are willing to admit you’d have to have an

willing to admit you’d have to have an

willing to admit you’d have to have an outpost every few hundred meters to be

outpost every few hundred meters to be

outpost every few hundred meters to be able to observe the border people being

able to observe the border people being

able to observe the border people being able to move back and forth and find

able to move back and forth and find

able to move back and forth and find safe havens on either side of the border

safe havens on either side of the border

safe havens on either side of the border is as easy as crossing the street in the

is as easy as crossing the street in the

is as easy as crossing the street in the United States the US military presence

United States the US military presence

United States the US military presence in Afghanistan has led to the conclusion

in Afghanistan has led to the conclusion

in Afghanistan has led to the conclusion that bin Laden and his leadership are

that bin Laden and his leadership are

that bin Laden and his leadership are hiding on the Pakistani side of the

hiding on the Pakistani side of the

hiding on the Pakistani side of the border

extremist groups like the jamya ulema

extremist groups like the jamya ulema Islam are openly willing to harbor

Islam are openly willing to harbor

Islam are openly willing to harbor al-qaeda but in live good ISM it is an

al-qaeda but in live good ISM it is an

al-qaeda but in live good ISM it is an obligation of every Muslim in every

obligation of every Muslim in every

obligation of every Muslim in every country to protect their friend from the

country to protect their friend from the

country to protect their friend from the enemy home to a fiercely independent and

enemy home to a fiercely independent and

enemy home to a fiercely independent and heavily armed population even the

heavily armed population even the

heavily armed population even the Pakistani military is wary of this

Pakistani military is wary of this

Pakistani military is wary of this violent tribal region sending an army up

violent tribal region sending an army up

violent tribal region sending an army up into these hills is not a simple mission

into these hills is not a simple mission

into these hills is not a simple mission people who live in these regions have

people who live in these regions have

people who live in these regions have been running their own affairs since

been running their own affairs since

been running their own affairs since time immemorial they are proud marshal

time immemorial they are proud marshal

time immemorial they are proud marshal and well resourced in part because they

and well resourced in part because they

and well resourced in part because they have built up a rich history of

have built up a rich history of

have built up a rich history of smuggling and other criminal enterprises

smuggling and other criminal enterprises

smuggling and other criminal enterprises that have enriched them amongst the drug

that have enriched them amongst the drug

that have enriched them amongst the drug runners and booming black-market for

runners and booming black-market for

runners and booming black-market for weapons outsiders are easily identified

weapons outsiders are easily identified

weapons outsiders are easily identified here in the Daraa gun market local

here in the Daraa gun market local

here in the Daraa gun market local guides advise Westerners to stay away as

guides advise Westerners to stay away as

guides advise Westerners to stay away as they are likely to be shot on sight

we make weapons here pistols kalishnikov

we make weapons here pistols kalishnikov repeaters and copies of the new weapons

repeaters and copies of the new weapons

repeaters and copies of the new weapons that are manufactured in America and

that are manufactured in America and

that are manufactured in America and sent to us the local versions work even

sent to us the local versions work even

sent to us the local versions work even better than those produced abroad many

better than those produced abroad many

better than those produced abroad many of these weapons wind up in the hands of

of these weapons wind up in the hands of

of these weapons wind up in the hands of al-qaeda some even cross the border

al-qaeda some even cross the border

al-qaeda some even cross the border where they are used to attack US troops

where they are used to attack US troops

where they are used to attack US troops there’s a portable rocket grenade launch

there’s a portable rocket grenade launch

there’s a portable rocket grenade launch has been captured in an encounter with

has been captured in an encounter with

has been captured in an encounter with the terrorists he’ll be deposited again

the terrorists he’ll be deposited again

the terrorists he’ll be deposited again with the headquarters the best weapon

with the headquarters the best weapon

with the headquarters the best weapon you can buy it here off in the border

you can buy it here off in the border

you can buy it here off in the border areas so this is what the reality of the

areas so this is what the reality of the

areas so this is what the reality of the environment of Pakistan is Kalashnikovs

environment of Pakistan is Kalashnikovs

environment of Pakistan is Kalashnikovs for men and the tribal areas are like

for men and the tribal areas are like

for men and the tribal areas are like purses for women in the United States I

purses for women in the United States I

purses for women in the United States I mean got to have one officially the US

mean got to have one officially the US

mean got to have one officially the US military is not allowed to enter the

military is not allowed to enter the

military is not allowed to enter the tribal areas without pakistani

tribal areas without pakistani

tribal areas without pakistani permission so america must depend on

permission so america must depend on

permission so america must depend on Pakistan’s troops to conduct most ground

Pakistan’s troops to conduct most ground

Pakistan’s troops to conduct most ground operations against al-qaeda