Al-Qaeda threatens 'stunning blows' against US, Israel

ABCNews.com ^ | May 17, 2003

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda terror network has threatened to deliver devastating blows to the United States and Israel, a Saudi-owned weekly reports.

"The next strikes will stun the Americans and Israelis," Abu Mohammad al-Ablaj, "coordinator of the al Qaeda-affiliated Mujahedeen Training Centre," said in an email published by London-based Al-Majallah on Friday.

"The upcoming strikes will throw the enemy off balance. They will target the rear of the snake (the United States), which Abu Abdullah (bin Laden) said should be hit," he wrote.

"These strikes will hearten the faithful and disconcert the infidels," he said, applauding Monday's triple suicide bombings in Riyadh which killed at least 34 people, including nine bombers.

The threats came as US President George W Bush said in his weekly address that half of the Al Qaeda leadership had been eliminated.

"From Pakistan to the Philippines, to the Horn of Africa, we are hunting down Al Qaeda killers," he said.

"So far, nearly one-half of Al Qaeda's senior operatives have been captured or killed," he said, pledging to "remain on the hunt until they are all brought to justice."

However he warned that the battle against terror was still far from over.

"These two battles were important victories in the larger war on terror. Yet the terrorist attacks this week in Saudi Arabia, which killed innocent civilians from more than half a dozen countries, including our own, provide a stark reminder that the war on terror continues."

[kcordell]

However he warned that the battle against terror was still far from over.

President Bush told us when this 'War On Terror' began that it would last beyond his Presidency and into several dozen countries.

[Molly Pitcher]

Maybe you'll see this tomorrow....

[xJones]

They will target the rear of the snake (the United States), which Abu Abdullah (bin Laden) said should be hit," he wrote.

Somehow, I have trouble picturing a snake's rear end. But how typical that is of Islamic hyperbole, and the mother of all snake-ass targeting is coming. Yes, it is. They said so. You just wait. No, really it's coming.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, Molly! Just saw your ping.

[Dog]

Thanks Molly......about to shut down and saw your ping......need to ping a couple of people to this thread.

[Dog]

Heads up..

[Dog]

Don't dismiss this out of hand....

9/11 taught us to always be on guard.

[ladyinred]

"These strikes will hearten the faithful and disconcert the infidels,"

Is he referring to the peaceniks here? ( I know, shame on me)

[Sonny M]

I don't know about you, but I'm interpreting that as meaning they are looking to do something on the west coast. They constantly go after NYC, but they rarely like to hit the same target more then once, (spread the fear around).

On a side note, Al Quada has never struck inside of Israel.

[xJones]

9/11 taught us to always be on guard.

You are right, we can't let our guard down. I shouldn't have been flippant, it was simply that I get tired of their bombastic threats.

[The Scorpion King]

I didn't know Al Qaeda operatives could run, and shoot off their mouths at the same time.

[eyespysomething]

That may be part of it, we won't know which are real, which are merely "hot air"

[Ichneumon]

Al-Qaeda threatens 'stunning blows' against US, Israel

Hey, Al-Qaeda: Blow this...

[InvisibleChurch]

note to Al Qaeda : shut up

[boris]

"I don't know about you, but I'm interpreting that as meaning they are looking to do something on the west coast."

The West Coast has been strangely quiet, considering the large number of potential targets and the large number of nests (e.g., San Diego).

It does worry me. Golden Gate bridge. Long Beach harbor. Hollywood. Disneyland. Etc.

--Boris

[boris]

"The threats came as US President George W Bush said in his weekly address that half of the Al Qaeda leadership had been eliminated.">

How does he know? Do they have a roster? Or just a deck of cards?

--Boris

[CyberAnt]

"target the rear of the snake"

Does anybody understand what they may mean ...??

[aynrandfreak]

Maybe if we give Israel to Palestinians, Kashmir to Pakistan, and Arabia to Al Qaeda then they won't bother us anymore.

[Jhoffa_]

"As soon as we locate Osama (peace be on him) and obtain the holy and sacred target list of infidel buildings to attack, then bucko.. Then your ass is grass and we are the gas operated lawn trimming machine" he added.

LOL! What a joke.

What government in the world is going to let these nutcases launch such an attack on the US from THEIR country without reprisal?

Who wants to follow the Taliban down the rabbit hole? Who wants to be next?

It's obvious Dubya will go after them and it's obvious that if there's even a hint of un-cooperation, we will do a "regime change" on them.

Which (third) world leader will be first to paint a bullseye on his chest?