Asia Times Online usually runs decent articles, but a recent piece by Syed Saleem Shahzad, Pakistan Bureau Chief, is nothing less than a Brothers Grimm fairy tale on steroids, not surprising as Pakistan serves as an ISI disinfo hub.

“Al-Qaeda will this year significantly step up its global operations after centralizing its leadership and reviving its financial lifelines. Crucially, al-Qaeda has developed missile and rocket technology with the capability of carrying chemical, biological and nuclear warheads, according to an al-Qaeda insider who spoke to Asia Times Online,” writes Shahzad.

Of course, the media, reading straight from a Pentagon script, has told us the CIA-ISI manufactured terrorist group has been “centralizing its leadership and reviving its financial lifelines” for years now, not that this supposed reorganization and infusion of operating capital has produced tangible results. However, now that Iran is in the crosshairs, it makes perfect sense “al-Qaeda” is “reviving” itself.

As for the claim al-CIA-duh “has developed missile and rocket technology” supposedly capable of “carrying chemical, biological and nuclear warheads,” this is simply and utterly absurd as it obviously requires the apparatus of a state and industrial complex to produce such sophisticated technology, unless we are witless enough to believe the sort of nuclear weapons and the missiles required to deliver such payloads are easily manufactured in Waziristan with parts smuggled in under cover of sheep-herding Wazir tribes.

“While al-Qaeda will continue to operate in Afghanistan and Iraq, it will broaden its global perspective to include Europe and hostile Muslim states, Asia Times Online has learned. For the first time since its attacks on the US on September 11, 2001, this could be al-Qaeda’s year on the offensive.”

In other words, the neocon agenda needs to be completed before Bush leaves office in 2008, thus we are to be sold on the idea that 2007 may represent “al-Qaeda’s year on the offensive.”

“According to the contact, ‘The time has come for a message to be communicated to Europe.’ Asked what kind of message this would be, the contact simply smiled.”

Obviously, much of Europe, outside of impoverished and desperate for recognition and hard-strapped for cash former Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe, need to be sent a “message,” not from “al-Qaeda” terrorists but rather from the neocons, demanding “Old Europe” tow the “clash of civilizations” line.

For instance, Spain left the neocon fold in 2004 when the people elected José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, throwing out José María Aznar, son of the Franco fascist and propagandist Manuel Aznar Acedo. Zapatero has withdrawn Spanish troops from Iraq—an unforgivable sin for neocons far and wide. France, of course, serves as a convenient and long-standing target for the neocons, as they have different ideas about the so-called “war on terrorism.” Recall French foreign minister Hubert Védrine characterizing the neocon grasp of foreign relations as hopelessly “simplistic” and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin declaring the French would not do tricks like a well trained circus monkey for the United States.

Shahzad’s “al-Qaeda” source “stated that with Western forces trapped in Afghanistan and Iraq, it was time to open up new fronts in Somalia, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine and other places.”

Isn’t it curious “al-Qaeda” has decided to “open new fronts” in countries that figure on the neocon target list? It is of utmost importance “al-Qaeda” get busy in Palestine, of course, as the Israelis, who are connected at the hip with the American neocons, never get tired of demonizing and victimizing Palestinians.

“‘In each place, al-Qaeda has its own command and control apparatus, including Palestine, and all those fronts will be opened up very soon,’ the contact said.”

But of course—and no doubt a “front” will be opened in Palestine “very soon,” as the next wave of violence against the Palestinians will likely coincide with any action—that is to say, a mass murder campaign—against Iran, due to arrive soon, probably well before Bush leaves office. Recall the last spate of Israeli state violence against the Palestinians occurred at the same time Israel was blowing up apartment buildings with U.S.-supplied munitions in Lebanon.

“Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has not appeared in a video since October 2004 or on an audio tape since January 2006. He is by no means out of the al-Qaeda picture, although his deputy, Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, claims the media spotlight.”

By this, no doubt, Mr. Shahzad means the fake Osama, or fake Osamas (or computer generated Osamas), because the real Osama, a former CIA asset, is long dead and buried.

As we know, Ayman al-Zawahiri got his start by way of the long ago U.S. and British intelligence penetrated Muslim Brotherhood. For some odd reason, the corporate media never mentions that al-Zawahiri worked closely with Ali Mohamed, a former officer in the Egyptian army’s military intelligence who was also “cross-trained” at the U.S. Army Special Forces school at Fort Bragg. It is sincerely interesting that the American-hating al-Zawahiri would work with a guy who was recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Hezbollah. It should be noted that Mohamed was eventually put on a terrorist watch list but managed to get a visa to enter the country with al-Zawahiri in tow. But then this is apparently routine, as Sheikh Omar Abdul-Rahman, also on a “terrorist watch list,” effortlessly entered the United States and was eventually framed for the February 26, 1993, WTC bombing, an event with more than a little input from “double agent” Ali Mohamed, who just so happened to work for the FBI at the time. Coincidence, no doubt.

“Reportedly recovered from ill health, bin Laden—possibly even sporting a trimmed beard—is active in al-Qaeda’s planning, according to the contact Asia Times Online spoke to. ‘He could be in Chechnya, Somalia or Iraq,’ the man said coyly, obviously not about to divulge bin Laden’s whereabouts. Or even in Iran, some insiders hint.”

Osama bin Laden in Iran? Stands to reason, of course, never mind Bin Laden’s Salafy branch of Sunni Islam is highly intolerant of Shiites, and Iran is primarily a Shi’a nation. Not that it matters, as most Americans, easily frightened by the very prospect of dark-skinned Freddy Kruger-like bad guys in turbans or keffiyehs, do not know there are two Islamic sects. But then Silvestre Reyes, senior member of both the Armed Services and Select Intelligence Committees, thinks “al-Qaeda” is comprised of Shi’ites, so go figure.

Finally, in addition to retrofitting crummy Abeer rockets with nuclear bombs—if you believe this, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn—Shahzad’s “source” would have us believe “al-Qaeda [is] organizing all segments of the Iraqi resistance under its umbrella. It has already declared an ‘Emir of the Islamic Emirates of Iraq’ comprising Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din and Ninawa, and in other parts of the governorate of Babel. Abu Omar al-Baghdadi has been declared the emir of the state.”

In other words, the Iraqi resistance has fallen under the sway of “al-Qaeda,” a prospect that suits the neocons just fine, as it provides ample justification to keep the “war against terrorism” going strong for a few more generations, never mind Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England’s assertion that “to ensure that warfighters and taxpayers receive maximum benefit from on-going initiatives, it would be highly desirable to complete current projects by the summer/fall of 2008.”

Obviously, Mr. England didn’t check with the neocons before he sent out his memorandum, a career-busting move if ever there was one.