Al-Qaeda targets SA

2004-08-03 21:52

Marthinus van Vuuren and Sapa-AFP

Johannesburg - South Africa might be more susceptible to terror attacks and more South Africans could be involved in them than was originally thought.

This came to light after two South Africans were arrested in Pakistan in connection with alleged links to al-Qaeda.

According to an expert on terror, the men had been planning to launch terror attacks on tourism attractions in Johannesburg.

Dr Firoz Abubakar Ganjee, a Johannesburg doctor, and Zubair Ismael, 20, a student from Laudium, Tshwane, were captured last Sunday in Gujrat, in eastern Pakistan.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian al-Qaeda operator, and one of the US's 22 most-wanted terrorists, was with them when captured.

According to Sapa, an official involved in questioning the suspects said the two South Africans had been planning terror attacks against Johannesburg's main tourist attractions.

'Cape Town more likely than Johannesburg'

According to the official, Ganjee and Ismael are new recruits to the al-Qaeda network.

Anneli Botha, a terror expert from the Institute of Security Studies, said on Tuesday that if these claims were true, South Africa's threat analysis could be incorrect.

"If they are involved in al-Qaeda and an attack in South Africa was planned, then there could be more South Africans involved than what we thought," she said.

She said the tourism industry was a soft target for a terror attack - but more so in Cape Town than in Johannesburg.

"Cape Town is definitely the biggest terror risk. All the elements are there and so, too, is a large concentration of people.

In Johannesburg, a terror attack would be more likely on the commercial sector.

But, Botha thought a terror attack in South Africa was improbable - "Strategically, it wouldn't make sense."

"South Africa is not involved in the war in Iraq and is also not pro-United States. The government is also sympathetic towards Palestine."

She said the circumstances under which Ganjee and Ismael were arrested "could well indicate that they were involved with something".

Ganjee and Ismael left for Pakistan on July 10. They apparently took refuge in a rented house in Gujrat with Ghailani. After a shoot-out with police, they were arrested.

US authorities have increased terror alert

Road maps, foreign currency, computers, computer discs and Arabic documents were found in their possession, said another official.

Information found on one of the computers detailed planned attacks on financial institutions in the US, in particular.

Meanwhile, the US authorities have increased their anti-terror warning system from yellow to orange (high).

Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesperson for the department of foreign affairs, said a South African delegation has not yet been given access to Ganjee and Ismael. He said they could only comment once they had seen the two men.

- Beeld