A top United States intelligence officer has claimed that the Al Qaeda [Images] has succeeded in 'recruiting, training and positioning' terrorists for attacks against the West, including America, from its sanctuary in Pakistan and has formed groups which were previously focused on Kashmir.

Al Qaeda calls for jihad against Pakistan

The new assessment is seen as an update from a National Intelligence Estimate issued a year ago, which said Al Qaeda was seeking to deploy agents trained to carry out operations in the West.

'Al Qaeda is identifying, training and positioning operatives for attacks in the West, including in the US. These operatives include North American and European citizens and legal residents with passports that allow them to travel to the United States without an American visa,' said Ted Gistaro, National Intelligence Officer for Transnational Threats in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

'Al Qaeda's ability to establish and manage links to other affiliated terrorist groups and facilitation networks is a key indicator of its organisational health. These links help bolster its operational and propaganda reach,' Gistaro said.

'Since early 2006, Pakistani militant groups have increased their collaboration with Al Qaeda. This includes ethnic Pashtun groups native to the tribal areas and groups from eastern Pakistan, most of whom previously focused on attacking Kashmir in India.

'While a major focus of these groups is conducting attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan, they provide safe haven to Al Qaeda fighters, collaborate on attacks inside Pakistan, and support Al Qaeda's external operations, including against the West,' the intelligence officer said at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Gistaro, however, said they were not aware of any specific, credible al-Qaeda plot to attack the US homeland. But they do receive a steady stream of threat reporting from sources of varying creditability.

'Al Qaeda has strengthened its safe haven in Pakistan's tribal areas by deepening its alliances with local militants and pushing many elements of Pakistani government authority from the area. It now has many of the operational and organisational advantages it once enjoyed across the border in Afghanistan, albeit on a smaller and less secure scale,' the officer said.

The officer pointed out that in spite of some significant losses, Al Qaeda has replenished its bench of skilled mid-level lieutenants capable of directing its global operations.

'Al Qaeda has developed succession plans, can reshuffle leadership responsibilities, and promote younger commanders with years of battlefield experience to senior positions. The leaders' collocation in the FATA allows them to manage the organisation collaboratively, helping facilitate the replacement of key figures,' the officer maintained.