CIA says al-Qaida is effective fund-raiser throughout world

WASHINGTON -- Al-Qaida draws much of its funding from contributions by individuals and charities around the world, the CIA says.

"The organization tries to raise funds from mosques, Islamic charities and individuals -- rich and poor -- throughout much of the world," a recently released CIA statement said. "This has helped corroborate our view that al-Qaida relies on a steady stream of contributions."

The capture of al-Qaida operatives and the dismantling of the group's camps and bases in Afghanistan has provided U.S. intelligence with a greater understanding of its financial operations, particularly the emphasis al-Qaida places on fundraising, according to the statement, which was written in April.

The statement includes the CIA's responses to a number of questions posed by members of the Senate Intelligence Committee to CIA Director George J. Tenet in February, when Tenet addressed the committee in open session on threats to U.S. national security. Al-Qaida topped the list.

The unclassified statement was entered into the congressional record earlier this month and noted on the web site of the Federation of American Scientists, an open-government advocacy group.

Since Sept. 11, the U.S. Treasury Department and the United Nations have frozen the assets of a number of groups, businesses and people linked to al-Qaida. While Osama bin Laden has a sizable fortune inherited from his family's construction business, his group draws operating income from donations worldwide.

The report makes little mention of al-Qaida's alleged participation in legitimate businesses and criminal enterprises as a source of funds.

The CIA also casts doubt on press reports that al-Qaida is profiting from the diamond trade in war-ravaged parts of Africa, saying it has uncovered little evidence of those reports.

In addition, the statement notes that al-Qaida and other Sunni extremists are improving their ability to conduct cyberattacks on infrastructure that rely on electronic or computer systems.