CNN.com - Experts: War on terrorism could spawn new enemies - Mar 15, 2004: "WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It is possible the U.S.-led war on terror has created new enemies of Western governments and societies by splintering al Qaeda, according to counterterrorism experts.
Some U.S. government officials go so far as to say that even if Islamic fundamentalists are eventually found responsible for the train bombings in Spain last week, the effort to identify one particular group may be futile.
'This is not like the Gambino crime family, a Mafia family, where if you just arrest the leaders it goes out of business,' said Peter Bergen, a CNN terrorism expert and author of 'Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden.'
'This is more like a mass movement, and you can arrest as many people as you want. But it's very hard to arrest the movement of ideas.'"
Some U.S. government officials go so far as to say that even if Islamic fundamentalists are eventually found responsible for the train bombings in Spain last week, the effort to identify one particular group may be futile.
'This is not like the Gambino crime family, a Mafia family, where if you just arrest the leaders it goes out of business,' said Peter Bergen, a CNN terrorism expert and author of 'Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden.'
'This is more like a mass movement, and you can arrest as many people as you want. But it's very hard to arrest the movement of ideas.'"
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