Rendering №6

The article “Russia accuses al-Qaida of 'forest jihad' in Europe” was written by Mariam Elder and published on October 3, by the newspaper Guardian. The article discusses the difficult situation caused by conflagrations in many European countries and the reasons of it.  Giving appraisal to the situation, it is necessary to point out that  Russia's top security official has alleged that al-Qaida was waging "forest jihad" in Europe by sparking the wildfires that have ravaged the continent in recent summers. In confirmation of her words, the author makes Alexander Bortnikov’s quotation, the head of the Federal Security Service: “"Forest fires in EU countries should be considered one of the new trends in al-Qaida's 'thousand cuts' strategy”.  Explaining his opinion about the situation, he said that this approach allows them to inflict significant damage on the economy and morale without any serious preparation, technical equipment or financial losses. He cited talk of "forest jihad" on various extremist websites and forums as evidence of the strategy. Analyzing the situation, it is necessary to point out today’s condition of the problem  -  this year tens of thousands of hectares of land were set ablaze across Spain Portugal, the Balkans and southern Europe. The author also describes It with such words as “a yearly phenomenon”. Then Mariam Elder cites Nikolai Shmatkov’s opinion, a forest expert at the Moscow office of the World Wildlife Fund, about the fires and the possible participation of al Qaida in it : “How involved al-Qaida is in this, how much they need to focus their forces not against the Americans, but against the Greeks and Spaniards, I can't say. I'm skeptical”. There are every reason to believe that many specialists take the statement about al Qaida’s complicity with the skeptical view. Thus Anton Orekh, a journalist at the liberal radio station, Ekho Moskvy suggests as a joke: “And when Russia's forests and peat bogs were burning in 2010, what was that? Also al-Qaida? And this summer in Siberia – was that also part of this 'thousand cuts' strategy?”. The author concludes her article with soma facts which may show the possibility of a connection between the conflagration in the European countries and al-Qaida: “the summer issue of Inspire, the online propaganda publication run by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula devoted 11 pages to starting forest fires in Nato countries, including instructions. “Fire is one of the soldiers of Allah, it said”". Mariam Elder concludes the article with the quotation on al-Qaida’s speakers: “Imagine that, after all the damage is caused, if a jihad organization were to take responsibility for the forest fires," it said. "You can imagine the dread it would cause people in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Australia.”
As for me, I agree with Anton Orekh, that it is strange at least to blame all the nature disaster on al-Qaida. We all know the real reasons for the fire 2010 in the European Russia and there is no mention about al-Qaida. I don’t know exactly about the real cause of the Europeans fires but I am sure that it is more usual and typical one than a such kind of a terrorist attack. It is also open secret for me such al Qaida’s reaction to this situation. So heightened attention to this organization and some opinions about its participation in it flatters it, thus making it more considerable and frightening organization.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/03/russia-al-qaida-forest-jihad