A war against al-Qaeda will be a conflict like no other. A loose network of two dozen terrorist groups united by Osama Bin Laden's pan-Islamic vision, "the Base" may have as many as 5,000 members in terrorist cells in at least 50 countries, including the U.S.
A COMPLEX WEB
The top of al-Qaeda is a rigid hierarchy. Lower down, the organization becomes murkier. Cells of terrorists belonging to groups like Islamic Jihad or Hamas train in bin Laden's camps, then carry out operations. Commando cells are the fighters and suicide bombers. Other cells provide logistic and planning support. Most are highly...