Al-Qaeda threatens worse than levels before 9/11, explains the expert in terrorism

During the 24th years since a group of 19 members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group has risen on board and diverted four flights in a series of attacks on the United States which killed 2,977 people, the infamous network remains the “most dangerous terrorist group” in the world today, an expert warned.

Although terrorist groups like Isis and Hamas have acquired immense notoriety in recent years due to their brutal tactics, Bill Roggio, expert analyst and editor-in-chief of Foundation for Defense of Democracies “Long War Journal”, told Fox News Digital than the threat posed by Al-Qaeda is much more boring today.

“The most dangerous terrorist group 24 years after September 11 remains Al-Qaeda,” said Roggio. “With the Taliban support, the situation is much worse than it was before September 11.”

The nusra front fighters linked to Al-Qaeda carry their weapons at the back of a van during the release of Lebanese soldiers and police in Arsal, Oriental Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, on December 1, 2015. (Stringer / Reuters)

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Roggio explained that not only Al-Qaeda directs training camps in at least 13 of 34 provinces in Afghanistan, but its global operations have continued to develop until the last two decades across the Middle East and Africa.

“Its global organization remains intact. It probably controls more than a third of Somalia, then it is supposedly former affiliate – and I am not convinced that the links have been broken – now controls the government of Syria, with the Hayat Tahir Al Sham as a leader.

“President (Donald) Trump, even welcomed the takeover, the eviction of Bashar Al Assad. It was a mistake, in my opinion,” he added. “It is a group that turned out to be intelligent, as being engaged.”

Roggio explained that his main concern with regard to terrorism nearly two decades after September 11 is the safe refuge which was granted to them and the feeling of the public towards the different groups.

“The number one concern I have for the threat of terrorism is the increase in shelters for these groups,” he said. “Afghanistan – Al -Qaeda, leader of the training camps, the Iranians who continue to provide a safe refuge, countries like Iraq, where Shiite militias are allowed to operate, Al -Shabab – The Al -Qaeda branch in Somalia – has a safe refuge in the areas they control.”

Police and military officials paint the premises of a terrorist attack on the Al-Shabab group linked to Al-Qaeda, Mogadiscio, Somalia on August 21, 2022. (Feisal Omar / Reuters)

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“This is where the terrorist groups have time, space and security to trace, execute, recruit, collect funds, they can lead an attack as September 11 and they now have it in several places,” added Roggio.

Terrorist groups have increasingly accessed more sophisticated weapons thanks to state support such as that provided by Iran to groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis.

But ease of access to technological developments such as AI and accessible technology such as drones, has further increased the threat level that these groups pose.

Roggio also stressed that these groups do not need to access the best arms or technological progress to cause real damage.

“No one thought that the boxes and training on airlines would lead to September 11 and yet it happened,” he said.

Groups that did not exist or which were a “shadow” of themselves before September 11 and worked at the cellular level, now have “armies around the world,” said Roggio.

But he also pointed out that public support open to groups that have carried out huge atrocities and human rights violations are also increasing.

“When you look at the attitudes towards jihadist organizations, look at Hamas’ support today … The increase in anti -Semitism and the decrease in support for Israel – these are all indicators that things are trendy for jihadist organizations.

“For me, these are indications that we have lost the war against terrorism,” he added.

The Palestinian terrorists of Hamas are custody of the day of the transmission of hostages held in Gaza since the deadly attack of October 7, 2023, as part of a ceasefire and a taking of taking that of hostages between Hamas and Israel, in Rafah in the Gaza of the South Gaza, on February 22, 2025. (Hatem Khaled / Reuters / File photo)

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Roggio explained that there is a lack of “will” to fully explain why there is an increase in extremism and how to counter the best, which cannot be done militarily alone, but by contravening the radical ideology.

“We have defeated Nazi Germany,” he said. “This is something that can be done. We had the will to do so.

“Our hesitation, our reluctance, our lack of commitment to these countries has embraced them and still,” said Roggio. “Until we remove the sponsorship of the state, until we are able to effectively treat suppliers from radical ideology, these threats will persist.”