[HitmanLV]

The most inspired guess - kudos!

[HarryCaul]

You know...just being totally theoretical here, but...

A suitcase nuke could do it, and a strike on an American carrier at sea is about the only way you could use a nuke and not get overwhelmingly negative world reaction while establishing your credibility as a major threat. You'd get condemnation, of course, but nowhere near what you'd get if you nuked Boston, for example. If al-qaeda is more world opinion savvy than they seem, it would be a way to go.

All random speculation, of course.

[Fitzcarraldo]

A network of them could be laid out on the ocean bottom under likely routes...

[cyberaxe]

.....ditto.....

.....makes me think about that Mullah.....

.....in Kuwait flinging grenades into tents.....

..... during the race to Baghdad at the beginning of the war.....