Overview of International Terrorist Organizations Hearing

Overview of International Terrorist Organizations
Rep. Gallegly Schedules Wednesday Oversight Hearing

Committee on International Relations
U.S. House of Representatives
Henry J. Hyde, Chairman
CONTACT: Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875, March 25, 2003

BACKGROUND: While international terrorism is not a new phenomenon, the nature of terrorism has changed in recent years. In previous decades, terrorist groups were generally secular and nationalist. Today, religion plays a greater role in motivating terror groups, especially those based in the Middle East. In addition to the Middle East, major terrorist groups are now actively operating throughout the world, including in the United States, Russia, other European countries, Colombia, Ireland, Spain, Peru, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Burma, Somalia, South Africa, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and India. Terrorist organizations are adopting new technologies and developing flexible, transnational structures. Some terror groups are now working together in obtaining financial resources, training, logistics and executing attacks. Combined with the increased availability of weapons of mass destruction, the resilient and diffuse threat posed by international terrorist organizations presents a mortal danger to the United States and other target countries.

WHAT: Oversight hearing: Overview of International Terrorist Organizations

Subcommittee on International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights, U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, Chairman

WHEN: 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2003

WHERE: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

WITNESSES: J. Cofer Black, Ambassador-at-Large, Coordinator for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State; Earl Anthony Wayne, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

Questions to be raised during this hearing:

	Is Al Qaeda operationally capable of launching another major attack on the U.S.?
	To what extent are international terrorist organizations able to develop homegrown chemical and biological weapons?
	Aside from Al Qaeda, what other terrorist groups pose the greatest threat to the U.S.?
	Do U.S. policymakers expect the war in Iraq will lead to retaliatory terrorist strikes against the U.S.?
	Has the war in Iraq had any noticeable effect on the cooperation of those countries which are allied with the U.S. in the war on terror but opposed to U.S. actions in Iraq?
	What countries are not fully cooperating with international efforts to halt financial assistance to terrorist organizations?

Hearing: Overview of International Terrorist Organizations

Hon Elton Gallegly

Hon. J. Cofer Black

Hon. Earl Anthony Wayne

Hearing transcript (PDF - 440 KB)

View Webcast Video (27,063 kb)