Al Qaida commander 'anticipates' 100,000 Americans dead in attack

Special to World Tribune.com MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE Thursday, November 13, 2003 Al-Qal'a (The Fortress) an Islamist Internet forum, posted the first of a two-part interview with a person who introduced himself as Abu Salma Al-Hijazi, one of the Al Qaida commanders closest to Osama bin Laden.(1) The interview was conducted in Iraq, south of Faluja. The article notes that Al-Hijazi was surrounded by five masked men carrying missiles as well as personal weapons. The following are excerpts from the interview:

In regard to rumors about a large-scale attack against the U.S. during the month of Ramadan, Al-Hijazi said that "a huge and very courageous strike" will take place and that the number of infidels expected to be killed in this attack, according to primary estimates, exceeds 100,000. He added that he "anticipates, but will not swear, that the attack will happen during Ramadan."

He further stated that the attack will be carried out in a way that will "amaze the world and turn Al Qaida into [an organization that] horrifies the world until the law of Allah is implemented, actually implemented, and not just in words, on His land... You wait and see that the balance of power between Al Qaida and its rivals will change, all of a sudden, Allah willing."

Regarding Al Qaida detainees, Al-Hijazi said: "We follow their situation closely... the collaborating governments will pay the price for capturing these heroes who want to revive the glory of their nation and shake off the dust of humiliation and disgrace."

Al-Hijazi added that the "collaborating and treacherous" governments should know that Al Qaida has a long reach and its members enjoy popularity that will not end just because apostate governments detain hundreds of Al Qaida's members. "As soon as the governments detain one of our people, ten like him join us... this is no secret."

Al-Hijazi said that Al Qaida instructed its members not to confront the governments of Islamic countries and clarified that Americans are the main target of the organization, wherever they may be, in order to cause their disintegration and collapse, even if it takes a long time. "We are patient," he added, "our patience will only end with the collapse of America and its agents."

Al-Hijazi also said: "There is no doubt that the demise of America and its collapse will lead to the collapse of these fragile regimes that depend on it... We will not stop until we establish the Islamic Caliphate and until Allah's law is implemented in His land."

When asked about the recent bombing in Riyadh, Al-Hijazi referred to Saudi media reports — which claimed that in the attack Muslim women and children were killed — as "merely media deceit." He added: "This place was under surveillance for many months. Following a thorough investigation, it became perfectly clear to us that the people living there were at least 300 Americans and a large group of Lebanese Christians who had tortured Muslims there, in Lebanon, during the civil war. After consultation, we decided it was appropriate to attack this place and destroy it, including the people who lived there, because it housed Americans and a large majority of Christians holding Lebanese citizenship.

"Since the Saudi government is aware of the sensitivity of this place and that it is a declared target for Al Qaida, it surrounded it with very heavy security. However, we gave our people in Riyadh a green light to destroy it on top of those inside. Allah facilitated breaking into the place and bombing the part in which mostly Americans stayed. As a result, praise Allah, at least 40 Americans were killed, as well as 27 Christians from Lebanon, and a group of citizens who were Muslim; also, at least 70 Americans were injured, as well as more than 30 citizens of other countries, most of them Christians from Lebanon."

According to Al-Hijazi, a Saudi religious scholar who is wanted by Saudi authorities will claim responsibility in a televised communiqué for the bombing "and for other operations to come." He added that the wills of the attackers will be published, apparently, in the month of Shawwal — the month following Ramadan according to the Muslim calendar - when Al Qaida's main website, Al-Nida, is due to be reactivated.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Endnote: (1) http://64.246.51.45/vb/showthread.php?s=6bafb437cb9adf6bcddad05540b764e8&threadid=96276

Computer System at the American University of Sharjah in United Arab Emirates being Used to Send Messages Warning about Threatened al Qaeda Attacks
American University of Sharjah Behind Al Qaeda Attack Threats

November 10, 2003

MND NEWSWIRE

Warnings continue to circulate on the internet calling on Muslims to flee New York, Washington and Los Angeles in advance of threatened major al Qaeda attacks in those cities.

Titled "This is the Second Warning ..." the following message appeared on a Yahoo! Groups message board Saturday.

"We fight asking for God's heavens and Almoshrekeen fight asking for the Devals (sic) money and wealth. We fight with God's promise and they fight with Bush's promise. Oh God the most powerful in your hands we fight. This is the second call for Muslims in the USA to start leavinbg soon from L.A., the East side and New York. (sic)Alaaah Akbaar, Allah Akbaar to Bush and his Black House gang. You will hear from the (sic) Mojahideen very soon." (Signed) Alaah Akbaar, Daleel_ Almojahid.

This warning followed the posting of a message a week ago by the Jeddah-based al Qaeda-linked Al-Islah (Reform) society calling on Muslims to flee New York, Washington and Los Angeles in advance of threatened major al Qaeda attacks in those cities.

That warning was reported by www.debka.com, a self-described "Internet publication devoted to independent, investigative reporting and forward analysis in the fields of international terrorism, intelligence, international conflict, Islam, military affairs, security and politics."

A similar message also appeared last week on a Yahoo! Group bulletin board (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Daleel_Al-Mojahid_/message/18). This message is now missing in the group's archives (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Daleel_Al-Mojahid_/messages).

Posted by an individual calling himself Daleel Almojahid, it read "This is the last call for Muslims in New York, the east side and Los Angeles to start leaving. The mojahideen (sic) are now ready to teach the US a lesson it will never forget."

A similar message was received by this reporter when initially under the guise of being a Moslem sympathetic to the cause he wrote to Almojahid that he wanted to help. "I have funds to buy what you need to kill the kaffir. I need bank account, wiring instructions and location..."

The first response received from Almojahid by this reporter read , "We are more than thankful for the sweet words you wrote, but we have everything ready and set thank you so much and please make your plans to move out if you are in the cities of LA, NY or the east side. Go north as much as possible as you know this is a war. May God protect you and protect all our brothers and sisters."

Almojahid posted a subsequent message on his Yahoo! Group account. Headlined "You have to understand this is a war your government had started," it read in part:

"I know that a lot of innocent people and Muslims are within these cities but you have to understand that this is a war your government had started. They have killed more than 2,000,000 Muslims in the past 12 years alone, 500,000 kids died in Iraq since 1990! What would you do if 2,000,000 Americans died from Muslims who are just attacking for money and oil and more wealth to their country! A lot of people asked me how much more time is there. I can only tell you get out as soon as you can. This is a war."

In another recent message posted to member of his group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Daleel_Al-Mojahid_/message/33), Almojahid commented on the recent suicide bombing attack in Saudi Arabia in which 17 people were killed and 122 were wounded.

He wrote "This hit is not the hit that we issued a warning about this is a hit to start cleaning up the dirty black stain of the CIA in the (sic) kinkdom."

Almojahid also deals with violence against America in general on his Yahoo! Groups site, writing in one post (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Daleel_Al-Mojahid_/message/27)

"For us America and Israel have became one that's why America is now on the line of fire from our mojahideen, America has became our biggest enemy and destroying its economy means destroying and dismantling Israel's power and dream of controlling the word. For that America will be attacked for the sole reason of cutting the heart of the Israeli state."

However, it seems that Almojahid is not who he claims. Information obtained from his e-mails indicates that his real (or other) name is Salaah Aldeen, and he is using a computer at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (www.aus.ac.ae) to send his threatening messages.

While the search engine for the university web site produced no results for either name, Almojahid did respond to an e-mail asking who Aldeen is and why he was apparently using the computers at the University of Sharjah.

He wrote (sic) "I am salaah aldeen...knowing that i am using the american university of sharjah network is something you should know why with out asking ! there are 4,000 students here..;O)...enjoy."

In an additional e-mail received by this reporter, Almojahid/Aldeen wrote, apparently referring to the threatened al Qaeda attacks, (sic) "By the well of god and the hands of the mojahideen, the coming hit wont be stopable at all. you think years of well planing will be stoppable!!! you still dont know the mojahideen. and i will keep reminding you that you still dont know the mojahideen..but you will see thier light and hear there loud bang very very soon when everything becomes black smoke."

Debka File's story also reported that the al-Qaeda linked al-Islah group (with whom Almojahid/Aldeen may or may not be connected) accused the United States of sealing its own fate with its policies. It read in part, "The Jews rule the Pentagon by remote control and (are the cause) of Muslims being killed in every corner of the world. The United States should therefore expect more blows."

According to Debka File, the message was signed on behalf of the al Bayan (The Threat) movement by "your warrior brother, Abul Hassan al Khadrami."

According to Debka, the name of the signatory belonged to a Yemeni from Hadhrameuth, the Bin Ladens' place of origin where Osama bin Laden is widely supported.

Debka reported that the publication's counter-terror sources emphasize these warnings are taken seriously but with caution by the intelligence services keeping track of the terrorist network's electronic traffic.

Last November, Jeddah-based fundamentalist forums addressed a message to an al Qaeda member, saying whoever understands – understands; whoever knows, knows, but we are marching towards an operation that will take us to Paradise. Three days later, the Mombasa Paradise hotel was blown up killing 12 Kenyans and three Israelis and a failed shoulder-launched Strela anti-air missile missed an Israeli airliner at Mombasa airport, Debka reported.

Report filed by Jeremy Reynalds

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