, Security Correspondent LONDON (Reuters) – Al Qaeda leaders have the will but not the means to direct big attacks on the West and for now must settle for small strikes by allies in a strategy of “a thousand cuts,” a U.N. official said.

Richard Barrett, a former senior British intelligence official who now monitors al Qaeda and the Taliban for the United Nations, also said that Pakistan is the arena where al Qaeda central leadership exerts its greatest influence on attacks.

Jan 26 (Reuters) – The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
on the United States may spur new al Qaeda actions against the
West, but far from directing plots, its chiefs may have to
settle for merely inspiring them.

Here are some questions and answers about the militant
movement led by Osama bin Laden and deputy Ayman al-Zawahri.

LONDON (Reuters) – Monday’s Moscow bombing shows much more must be done to protect the world’s airports from ground attacks, a risk long overlooked in the post-September 11 rush to secure passengers inflight, analysts said on Monday.

After the Sept 11. 2001 airliner attacks, the homeland security industry sharply increased investment in sophisticated detection technology designed to prevent terrorists bent on hijacking or bombing being able to get aboard airliners.

LONDON (Reuters) – Monday’s Moscow bombing shows much more must be done to protect the world’s airports from ground attacks, a risk long overlooked in the post-September 11 rush to secure passengers inflight, analysts said on Monday.

After the Sept 11. 2001 airliner attacks, the homeland security industry sharply increased investment in sophisticated detection technology designed to prevent terrorists bent on hijacking or bombing being able to get aboard airliners.

LONDON (Reuters) – Monday’s Moscow bombing shows much more must be done to protect the world’s airports from ground attacks, a risk long overlooked in the post-September 11 rush to secure passengers in-flight, analysts said on Monday.

After the Sept 11. 2001 airliner attacks, the homeland security industry sharply increased investment in sophisticated detection technology designed to prevent terrorists bent on hijacking or bombing being able to get aboard airliners.

, Security Correspondent LONDON (Reuters) – Guerrilla-turned-peacemaker Abdullah Anas, an influential voice among north African Islamists, says the leaders of the Maghreb must learn from Tunisia’s revolt and lift tight political curbs or risk chaos.

The former anti-Soviet fighter and Algerian Islamist activist told Reuters north African rulers would be increasingly challenged by “reckless” political opportunists unless they gave a signal that peaceful political change was possible.

LONDON (Reuters) – The Tunisian army struck the mortal blow against Zine al Abedine Ben Ali’s rule when it ignored orders to shoot protesters, making it unlikely he could crush a popular uprising by force, diplomats and analysts said.

Details of discussions among senior officials in the final days of Ben Ali’s 23 years in power remain obscure, but it is clear the army had a decisive role in removing the strongman, severely weakened by an unprecedented popular revolt.

LONDON (Reuters) – The wisdom of Western counter-terrorism links to Arab leaders with poor human rights records is under fresh scrutiny after the ousting in Tunisia of a president who portrayed himself as a bulwark against al Qaeda.

Democracy campaigners in the Middle East have long criticised the West for heightening cooperation with Arab security services after the Sept 11. 2001 attacks, saying the implicit price exacted by Arab rulers was muted Western criticism of often venal and brutal rule.

LONDON (Reuters) – The wisdom of Western counter-terrorism links to Arab leaders with poor human rights records is under fresh scrutiny after the ousting in Tunisia of a president who portrayed himself as a bulwark against al Qaeda.

Democracy campaigners in the Middle East have long criticized the West for heightening cooperation with Arab security services after the Sept 11. 2001 attacks, saying the implicit price exacted by Arab rulers was muted Western criticism of often venal and brutal rule.

LONDON (Reuters) – Coptic Christians around the world are on alert for possible copycat attacks ahead of their Christmas on Friday after Islamist radicals hailed a deadly church bombing in Egypt apparently inspired by al Qaeda.

Coptic communities point to messages on websites maintained by Islamist extremists calling for attacks on Coptic churches in various countries and a surge in sectarian anti-Christian rhetoric in statements by al Qaeda offshoots in recent months.