Asia Times: al-Qaeda defunct, new organisations flourish
'The US-led invasion of Iraq created the ideal conditions for the IIF to flourish, and it rode the wave of anti-US sentiment in the Muslim world to draw more members. But in the process the organization has undergone a transformation. Al-Qaeda is no longer a coalition of different jihadi bodies. It is an independent organization that is planning a major strike on targets within the US.'

Asia Times: al-Qaeda defunct, new organisations flourish
'The US-led invasion of Iraq created the ideal conditions for the IIF to flourish, and it rode the wave of anti-US sentiment in the Muslim world to draw more members. But in the process the organization has undergone a transformation. Al-Qaeda is no longer a coalition of different jihadi bodies. It is an independent organization that is planning a major strike on targets within the US.'