At the time of the 9/11, al-Qaeda was believed to have around 500 members. Colin Smith, coordinator of the UN’s monitoring team, warned that threat had become "multipolar", with jihadist groups operating across several regions rather than from a single base, The Times reported. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTAccording to the report, the 25,000-strong estimate is deliberately cautious and does not include Islamic State fighters. The report further raises alarms about prisoners linked to Islamic State and their families escaping from camps in northeast Syria. According to the research, the group is now believed to be exploring maritime attacks alongside renewed interest in operations beyond the region.

Source: The Times February 06, 2026 11:43 UTC