Al-Qaeda planning US 'death blow'

Australia News ^ | Oct. 31, 2003 | Dubai correspondent -Agence France-Presse

[freeperfromnj]

From "Death Blow" to new warning being called "Painful Strike"

al-Qaida Warns of Painful Strike Against Americans, According to E-Mail Written by Terror Group

The Associated Press

CAIRO, Egypt Oct. 31 — A purported al-Qaida leader said in an e-mail sent before latest the string of bombings in Iraq that the terrorist network was preparing devastating attacks against Americans during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, an Arab magazine reported Friday. The London-based weekly Al-Majalla has published statements in the past from the purported al-Qaida operative, identified as Abu Mohammed al-Ablaj. Among them was one the magazine said it received a day before the May 12 suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia warning of al-Qaida attacks in Saudi Arabia.

The Al-Majalla reporter in the United Arab Emirates who has received the e-mails, Mahmoud Khalil, told The Associated Press that he received the latest al-Ablaj e-mail last Friday, too late to make that week's edition.

Al-Qaida "is getting ready to stage devastating attacks during the month of Ramadan against Americans that will make young boys' hair turn gray," said the e-mail, whose authenticity could not immediately be verified. It added attacks in Iraq were possible.

Three days later, as Ramadan began, a series of vehicle bombings killed scores of people in Baghdad. Attacks have continued daily since then in the capital and elsewhere in Iraq, where the U.S.-led coalition that ousted Saddam Hussein has been struggling to restore order.

Doubt remains over who is coordinating the attacks, which U.S. officials say are becoming more sophisticated and organized. U.S. and Iraqi officials point at shadowy "foreign fighters," but commanders on the ground say they are uncertain what role, if any, such figures play. Senior officers have avoided tying recent attacks to al-Qaida.

In an audiotape aired Oct. 18, a voice purporting to be that of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden said suicide attacks would be launched "inside and outside" America and threatened nations that are helping the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.

Al-Majalla began receiving purported al-Qaida operative al-Ablaj's e-mails earlier this year. A U.S. counterterrorism official has said al-Ablaj was believed to be a leading al-Qaida figure also known as Abu Bakr.

In the latest e-mail, al-Ablaj said bin Laden "has issued new orders to his followers about waging a guerrilla war against Arab and Islamic countries ... in which the United States has military or commercial presence."

Another e-mail purported to have been written by al-Ablaj, which Al-Majalla received May 11, warned that al-Qaida was about to carry out major attacks in Saudi Arabia. Suspected al-Qaida attackers used car bombs the next day to attack guarded compounds housing Westerners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Those bombings killed 35 people, including nine attackers.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20031031_733.html

[John Frum]

"Al-Qaeda is going to carry out a death blow against Americans during the month of Ramadan"

All of this, brought to you by:

SARCASM ALERT!!!

[WhiteGuy]

"If they should pull something off you can say goodbye to the middle east"

Under our current plan, this sort of threat, if real, would require a pre-emptive strike that would "shock and awe" all the ME.

In my opinion, neither will come to pass, there is too much oil at stake for either side to allow such events.

[WhiteGuy]

"If they should pull something off you can say goodbye to the middle east"

Under our current plan, this sort of threat, if real, would require a pre-emptive strike that would "shock and awe" all the ME.

In my opinion, neither will come to pass, there is too much oil at stake for either side to allow such events.

[MEGoody]

"If you were president and had the power - which terrorists would you attack or bomb, how and where?"

Hard to answer, since I don't have the intelligence information he is privy to. Based on gut feel, I'd say Syria would be next.

[John Frum]

Ramadan came and went - no death blow occurred. So much for their SPEW. More babble from the mouths of monkeys.

[steve86]

Ramadan came and went

Ends on approximately Nov. 24.

[PfromHoGro]

Ha, ha, ha. Then Jerry & Kramer are out in the lobby..."Oh man...we're missing the death blow."

Good one.

[John Frum]

If so, why were there all these 'fast' breaking meals recently, in the media?? ... Like supposedly in D.C. with a bunch of legislators, etc... basically for all practical purposes, its just about over.

also:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MUSLIM FAST OF RAMADAN BEGINS OCTOBER 26
Month offers opportunity to learn more about Islam and Muslims

(Newark New Jersey, 10/8/2003) - On October 26, 2003,* (see note below) the
Muslim community in America and around the world will begin the month-long
fast of Ramadan (rom-a-don). Ramadan is the month on the Islamic lunar
calendar during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual
pleasures from break of dawn to sunset. (*NOTE: Because the beginning of
Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon, the
start and end dates for Ramadan may vary. Consult local Islamic centers.)

[John Frum]

Like I said before, it came and went, without anything happening, during RAMADAN. Typical bogus threats.

Still it doesn't mean we should put down our guard, everyone needs to keep their eyes open, just in case...