Bin Laden Back at Al Qaeda’s Helm, Journalist Says

LONDON —  Osama bin Laden is firmly back in command of Al Qaeda and the group is digging in for guerrilla attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan, an Arab journalist with close ties to the militant’s associates said Tuesday.

Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of the London-based daily Al Quds al Arabi, said Al Qaeda associates recently told him that the network has regained confidence after facing intense U.S. bombing and is ready to fight over the long haul.

“Al Qaeda were shattered during the U.S. bombing, so it was difficult for Bin Laden to stay in control. Now they said he is fully in command again and they have regrouped and are organized again,” Atwan said.

“Al Qaeda people say they are relaxed now and they will fight a war of attrition against U.S. soldiers,” said Atwan, who interviewed Bin Laden in 1996 and stays in contact with his associates.

Bin Laden is in good health and “safe” and is planning new attacks on the United States, he was told, but the Saudi-born exile’s whereabouts were not disclosed.

“My sense is that he will time any new attack to coincide with a U.S. attack on Iraq. He would want to capitalize on this to appeal to the Arab street, so he will probably delay any attacks until the United States moves on Iraq,” Atwan said.

“He will probably want to be seen as the only Arab standing up to the United States when the United States attacks Iraq.”