In recent months, officials say, Ansar al Islam, the militant group that was entrenched in northern Iraq before the war, has reasserted itself in Europe, recruiting operatives to fight in Iraq.

Since he had a major role in recruiting potential operatives and managing terrorist camps in Afghanistan, American officials say he knows the identifies of Al Qaeda agents across the world.

"She recruited operatives in Cambodia for nearly a year."

At the same time, Mr. Mohamed frequented mosques in the United States, and American officials now suspect that he was recruiting operatives for Mr. bin Laden.

Girding for the fight against global terrorism, the agency developed the site primarily to recruit agents, operatives and analysts from a much broader academic and social background than in the past and to let would-be spies know how to join.

Mr. Ben-Eliezer also chose today to announce at a Jewish Agency conference his concern that Mr. bin Laden, the Saudi terror suspect, was seeking to recruit local operatives and establish a network here.

Officials say that recruiters continue to operate in universities because they prefer to recruit intelligent, skilled operatives.

Under cover of its association with the Eighth Route Army, Zhou used the Yangtze Bureau to conduct clandestine operations within southern China, secretly recruiting Communist operatives and establishing Party structures throughout KMT-controlled areas.

According to the Shin Bet, Hamas established a command post in Turkey and has used it to recruit operatives and oversee operations in the Middle East.

More important, say American and Asian officials, he has recruited operatives for Al Qaeda in Southeast Asia.