July 16, 2009: Since late last year, a book (“Guidance on the Ruling of the Moslem Spy”) on how to deal with spies has been circulating on Islamic radical websites. In short, the author (Abu Yahya al-Libi, a Libyan who has written several terrorist "how to" manuals) points out that infidel (non-Moslem) spying efforts have been very effective. The infidel spy networks keep growing and good Moslems (al Qaeda fans) must be on the alert. Al Libi goes on to explain why it's permissible for a good Moslem to accuse and execute someone (even another Moslem) of spying, even if the evidence is thin.
The Moslem spies are the most worrisome, according to al Libi. Although he does not dwell on Israeli efforts, these have produced the most effective Moslem spies. Israel has honed its techniques for recruiting and using Moslems as spies for over 60 years. Israel has since taught many of these techniques to American intelligence officers, who adapted these techniques for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. Al Qaeda is also concerned with Pakistani intelligence which, since the late 1970s, was something of an ally. But since September 11, 2001, American pressure has turned the Pakistanis into an espionage threat to the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Al Libi's book appears to leave al Qaeda members feeling more uneasy, rather than better prepared to deal with the espionage problem.
