] Al-Qaida cells operate autonomously with sleeper agents
] among Muslim communities in most western, eastern and
] African countries. Bin Laden's capture -- dead or alive
] -- won't change the correlation of forces between
] terrorists and counter-terrorists. The growing
] wretchedness of West Africa's populations -- over a
] million a year die of malaria in Nigeria alone -- greatly
] facilitates the marabou's mission of recruiting Islamist
] desperadoes.
]
] The toughest among them survive the desert trek to
] Morocco and Algeria and from there take small craft to
] Spain. Their bodies wash up on Spanish beaches every day.
] Those who make it alive into Spain have also made it into
] the European Union.

United Press International: Commentary: Al-Qaida in Africa