Taliban administration poses greater threat than al Qaeda, says Michael Semple
Michael Semple, a former European Union diplomat in Afghanistan, has said that despite the continued presence of al Qaeda members in Afghanistan, the group is now weakened and does not pose a major threat; however, he said the Taliban administration has become a bigger threat because it controls territory and has expanded its network of religious schools.
Speaking on Friday, 20 September, on Afghanistan International’s “Today’s Debate” programme, Semple said al Qaeda is currently not capable of causing serious harm to the United States or Israel. He added that only a limited number of members of the network are present in the ranks of groups such as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Islam and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, but that they do not pose a major danger on their own.
He also said that what has created greater concern is the policy and structure of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan. According to Semple, thousands of religious schools have been established during Hibatullah’s rule, and in these centres, hundreds of thousands of Afghan youths are being educated and indoctrinated to regard the United States and Pakistan as their enemies.
The former EU diplomat said the Taliban administration’s investment in religious education and promotion of extremist ideology shows that the danger posed by this administration goes beyond al Qaeda. He also claimed that many terrorist groups in Afghanistan operate under the supervision of the Taliban administration’s intelligence services and cannot operate freely without its permission.
In the same programme, Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former special envoy for Afghanistan, also said terrorist groups are operating in Afghanistan under the Taliban administration’s watch. He added that groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army pose a serious threat to Pakistan, and their activity from Afghan soil remains one of Islamabad’s main concerns.
In another part of the interview, Semple referred to a recent video in which a person introduced as Hamza bin Laden threatens the United States. He said the message is more promotional in nature and may not be genuine.
Michael Semple is one of the best-known figures on Afghanistan at the European Union and in recent years has repeatedly commented on the situation of militant groups and the policies of the Taliban administration.
