Posted on 11/15/2003 11:16:09 AM PST by knak
DUBAI (Reuters) - A purported statement by Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network denied it was behind Sunday's deadly bombing in Saudi Arabia and warned it would carry out a new attack on a major U.S. city within two years.
The statement, carried on Islamist Web site al-Mojahedun (holy fighters), also said that the militant group was behind all attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq.
It was not possible to verify the authenticity of the statement, written in language similar to previous al Qaeda claims. But the Web site has in the past carried alleged statements by Saudi-born bin Laden's group.
"The network fears no one but the Almighty in announcing its attacks and we have no links at all to the Riyadh operations or in targeting the Muhaya compound," the statement said, referring to the housing compound that was attacked in the Saudi capital.
Saudi authorities said al Qaeda was suspected of being behind the attack which killed at least 18, mostly Arab expatriates. It also blames it for triple suicide bombings in Riyadh in May which killed 35 people.
"The network is fully responsible for all operations in the country of the Tigris and Euphrates (Iraq) so that the Americans may have a small taste of what we have tasted," it added.
It also warned of more attacks on the United States.
"The next strike on America will be 'Qaeda's hell' and it will be the second attack on one of the biggest U.S. cities within two years maximum," said the statement on the Web site www.mojahedun.com.
Washington holds al Qaeda responsible for the September 11, 2001 hijacked airliner attacks on U.S. cities.
A London-based Arabic magazine said last week it received an email from a hitherto unknown al Qaeda official claiming the group's responsibility for the attacks, but the statement had no direct quotes.
Is there someone on the planet that does not know this?
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