WASHINGTON — Palestinian militant groups are trying to link with al-Qaeda, but Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network has so far snubbed Hamas and its offshoots for infighting and failure to prove their global jihadist intentions, a new study says.
Al-Qaeda has granted formal ties with insurgent organizations in Yemen and North Africa but doesn’t yet appear to think Hamas and its splinter groups are sufficiently focused beyond Israel to the Western world, according to the study by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
The study, which was obtained by The Associated Press and is scheduled to be released next week, suggests al-Qaeda might be waiting patiently for one of the Gaza-based terrorism groups to establish itself — perhaps by successfully attacking Western targets.
“Al-Qaeda likely remains unconvinced of the ideological commitment of groups like Jaish al-Islam,” said Matthew Levitt, co-author of the study. “Al-Qaeda may also have concerns about the survivability of such groups,” including their susceptibility to infiltration by Israeli intelligence.
Levitt’s co-author is Yoram Cohen, who until recently served as the deputy director of the Israel Security Agency, Shin Bet.
According to the study, the rift between Hamas and its more formidable extremist offshoots — such as Jaish al-Umma, Jaish al-Islam and Jaish Ansar Allah — provides fertile ground for al-Qaeda-inspired terrorism. So far, however, the numbers are low, with about 200 to 300 militants in each group.
