AL QAEDA CLAIMS BOMBINGS (Warns "big attack" on US 90% ready)

Sky News ^ | 22:16 UK, Thursday March 11, 2004 | Sky News

[Smogger]

A group claiming to be acting in the name of al Qaeda says it was behind today's devastating Madrid train bombings, which killed at least 192 people.

An email to the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper said the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri was responsible for the worst terrorist attack on a European city since the second world war.

It also warned that a "big attack" on the US was "90% ready".

"The death squad (of the Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades) succeeded in penetrating the crusader European depths and striking one of the pillars of the crusader alliance - Spain - with a painful blow," the email said.

"We bring the good news to Muslims of the world that the expected 'Winds of Black Death' strike against America is now in its final stage...90 percent (ready) and God willing near," the letter said.

Bari Atwan, the newspaper's editor, told Sky News he was certain the claim was authentic.

Al-Masri, Osama bin Laden's right-hand man, was killed in the battle of Tora Bora during the war in Afghanistan.

The claim comes after investigators found an Arabic language tape with Koranic versus in a van carrying bomb detonators near Madrid.

The letter and the discovery of the van may throw into doubt the Spanish government's claim that the Basque separatist group Eta - rather than al Qaeda - was behind the multiple bombings, which also injured1,200 people.

"Because of this, I have just given instructions to the security forces not to rule out any line of investigation," Angel Acebes said.

But he stressed Eta was the main suspect.

Ten bombs went off this morning in a devastating wave of attacks on trains passing three different railway stations at the height of the Madrid's rush-hour.

Thousands of Spaniards held a huge silent protest in Bilbao this evening at the heart of Eta country.

The government said the bombs were probably set off by remote control at 4-5 minute intervals starting at 6.30am GMT.

Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar declared three days of mourning and told the nation the attacks were "mass murder".

"We will not back down in the face of terrorist killings," he said. "The perpetrators will be tried and convicted. We are targeting the total, complete and unconditional defeat of terrorism."

"We will succeed in finishing off the terrorist band," he added, employing the term used by the government to refer to Eta, but not naming it.

Mr Aznar vowed to go ahead with a scheduled general election on Sunday, although political parties have suspended campaigning.

US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the attacks, saying they underlined the need for international co-operation to fight global terror.

A total of 13 bombs were planted around the capital to target morning rush-hour rail commuters.

Three went off at the main Atocha station in central Madrid and four near to the station. Smaller stations were also hit - one bomb at Santa Eugenia and two at Pozo. Three further bombs were destroyed by authorities in controlled explosions.

The Spanish government said the bombs were made of a form of dynamite previously used by Eta.

Earlier, the leader of Eta's banned political wing Batasuna blamed the blasts on "Arab resistance". Arnaldo Otegi said he "refused to believe" Eta was responsible.

The scale of the attack, absence of a phone warning and lack of any claim of responsibility prompted speculation that Islamic terror group al Qaida was responsible.

In an audiotape released in the Arab world in October, a voice purported to be Osama bin Laden threatened nations that are helping the American occupation of Iraq.

"We reserve the right to respond at the appropriate time and place against all the countries participating in this unjust war, particularly Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy," the voice said.

Eta's worst previous atrocity killed 21 people in a bomb attack on a Barcelona supermarket in 1987.

[Smogger]

"We bring the good news to Muslims of the world that the expected 'Winds of Black Death' strike against America is now in its final stage...90 percent (ready) and God willing near," the letter said.

Al Qaida never takes credit for an act they didn't commit.

[thoughtomator]

So far not a single attack warned of ahead of time by AQ has come to fruition. Why would they warn us? They're most successful when it is a surprise.

[CJ Wolf]

Not true.

[muawiyah]

"I think there has been an exaggeration…It’s primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation”....."they are the biggest liars".

[thoughtomator]

Which attacks were we given warnings like this?

[Atlas Sneezed]

So far not a single attack warned of ahead of time by AQ has come to fruition. Why would they warn us? They're most successful when it is a surprise.

---

It also strikes me odd not only that they tell us that they are 90% ready, but that they telegraph the nature of the attack ("Winds of Black Death") suggesting bio or chem attack.

[maquiladora]

I could be wrong, but I don't think it's al Qaeda's style to claim respobsibilty like this. That 90% ready thing sounds bogus too, just scaremongering. My guess that this is just some other group using the al Qaeda label to get some recognition.

[kcvl]

Winds of Death: Iraq's Use of Poison Gas against Its Kurdish Population

Their skin turned black and their clothes were stuck to their skin.

[rageaholic]

"We bring the good news to Muslims of the world"

I'll be waiting for muslims to refute this and I think I'll be waiting a veeeeery long time.

[jpl]

So far not a single attack warned of ahead of time by AQ has come to fruition. Why would they warn us? They're most successful when it is a surprise.

Actually, in the last couple of years their attacks have tended to come on the heels of a message from that Al-Zawahiri guy, usually about a week or two later.

[raloxk]

why does that strike you as odd.

there is always way to much speculation here concerning terrorism

[maquiladora]

The last thing they'd want to do is telegraph the nature of the attack, thats going to reduce the chances of it being successful. Instead, it could be a diversion, either there is no attack being planned at all or if it does come to fruition it will resemble nothing that can be guessed from this. They're not in the business of giving us helpful hints.

[princess leah]

I think it's time to put the squeeze on those guests down at the Guantanamo Bay resort! You know, I watched an old Sherlock Holmes movie the other night where his nemesis Professor Morriarty slowly sucked the blood from Holmes...sounds like a nice way to go only, for these guys, dip the needle in some pig's blood first for good measure! I'm fed up with these terrorists threatening us with their "winds of black death" crap!

[Eva]

If you remember, the Homeland Security Dept issued a warning that Al Qaeda was planning an attack on the US involving trains.

[rageaholic]

"We reserve the right to respond ... against all the countries ... particularly ... Japan"

Now that's ambitious. I think they'll have a hard time blending in.

[ServesURight]

Egg on the liberal media's faces. They all tried to blame the Basques.

[Stentor]

there is always way to much speculation here concerning terrorism

Still crawlin on your belly through the threads?

[Prolifeconservative]

90% Ready? George Bush is sure playing havoc with that other 10%!!!!!!!!!!

[maquiladora]

Well about 2 weeks ago a truck with explosives and 2 ETA members was stopped outside Madrid, based on the non-exploded devices found today the spanish cops believe its the same explosive devices as found in the ETA truck.

Seems reasonable to suspect ETA involement, and with only 3 days to the national elections, it looked really strong.

My guess is its a joint ETA-Islamic group attack.

[raloxk]

i mean too much speculation