“According to the US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE)–a report reflecting the consensus of the entire intelligence community–al Qaeda itself, despite nearly six years of intense efforts by the United States and its allies to destroy the enterprise, had recovered much of its pre-9/11 strength. The NIE, which was released in July 2007, only days after [al Qaeda second-in-command Ayman] al-Zawahiri’s latest barrage of threats, concluded that al Qaeda remained the ‘most serious terrorist threat to the homeland, as its central leadership continues to plan high-impact plots.’ It went on to say that ‘the group has protected or regenerated key elements of its homeland attack capability, including: a safe haven in…Pakistan, operational lieutenants, and its top leadership.’ ” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Brian Michael Jenkins, Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?, Page 270