According to a declassified CIA analytic report on March 10, 2003: “[Redacted] al-Qa’ida had established cooperative relationships by 1996 with at least 20 Sunni Islamic extremist groups in the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and East Asia, as well as with elements of the Saudi opposition. This cooperation entailed generating funding, smuggling routes, training, and, in some cases, terrorist operations. [Redacted] suggests that al-Qa’ida established relations with other Islamic extremists as well, largely in Africa and Asia.”
– CIA, “Al-Qa’ida in Sudan, 1992-96: Old School Ties Lead Down Dangerous Paths,” (CIA Analytic Report), The Central Intelligence Agency’s 9/11 File:, The National Security Archive, March 10, 2003