Those who have been questioning the United States' commitment to the war on terrorism can rest easier this week. One of the masterminds behind the terrorist crimes of Sept. 11, 2001 was captured in a joint U.S.-Pakistani operation.
The arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is a big deal. He's described as one of Osama bin Laden's inner circle. He's a chieftain in the al-Qaida terror network. Some analysts describe him as being more important than bin Laden because Mohammed has been the brains behind establishing the network. He also is credited with plotting 9/11 and other attacks.
Furthermore, Mohammed was arrested with two other suspected al-Qaida members. U.S. officials believe they have important information about the terrorist organizations and its plans. They are going about the business of prying that information out of the detainees.
As President Bush said months ago, the war on terror will take time and sustained effort. He said the United States and its allies will be undeterred in pursuing, finding and prosecuting terrorists. He stressed again and again that the successes in the war won't always make headlines.
This time, however, the headlines were justified. A big fish was netted. But Americans must keep in mind that the international campaign to root out terrorists has resulted in scores of arrests, both abroad and in the United States. U.S. allies -- even those nations who are not actively supporting U.S. policy on Iraq -- have been participating fully in the war against terrorists. They understand that eliminating the threat from al-Qaida is in their interests.
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For Americans who have been wondering what's happening on the terror front, this week's arrests confirm that a lot is happening. A lot, indeed.
And if that's not enough, consider this: Since 9/11 there has not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. That can be attributed in part to a U.S.-led international effort to shred the terrorist network.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board
