 |
|
The
masked man said Al-Qaeda plans news attacks
|
ISLAMABAD,
June 22 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A U.S. news agency ran a
video of a masked man who claimed that Al-Qaeda network had carried out
two bomb attacks in Saudi Arabia and Morocco and plans fresh wider
operations.
"The
recent attacks in Riyadh and Morocco were planned and they were part of
our martyrdom operations. You will see more such attacks in the
future," said the speaker in the video obtained by the Associated
Press (AP) on Saturday, June 21.
The
man, who identified himself as Abu Haris Abdul Hakim, said he speaks in
the name of three groups, Al-Qaeda, the remnants of the former Taliban
regime and the followers of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an Afghan leader and
former prime minister whom the United States calls a “terrorist” and
has tried to assassinate.
The
AP said the videotape was obtained from a senior intelligence official
in Hekmatyar's Hezb-e-Islami organization, adding that the official
confirmed that the speaker on the tape was speaking for Hekmatyar's
party.
But
Qutub-ud-din Hilal, deputy head of Hezb-e-Islami, denied reports that
his group released the video.
"It
is wrong. We have nothing to do with this video tape," he told
Reuters. "It's all rubbish. We have no knowledge about it". Hekmatyar
had earlier denied any links either with Al-Qaeda network or Taliban.
New
Attacks
Stressing
that "Osama is alive and in Afghanistan," the speaker said
that Al-Qaeda is planning new attacks this month in Afghanistan and
wider operations in other areas.
"The
recent attacks in Riyadh and Morocco were planned and they were part of
our martyrdom operations. You will see more such attacks in the
future."
If
authentic, the scratchy videocassette would be the first Al-Qaeda claim
of responsibility for the Riyadh attacks
on foreign housing compounds, which killed 26 people and nine attackers,
and bombings in Casablanca
that killed 43 people and 12 attackers, the AP said on its website.
Saudi
and U.S. officials have blamed Al-Qaeda for the Riyadh attacks. Moroccan
authorities said an international terrorism ring carried out the
Casablanca attacks, and they are looking at possible links to Al-Qaeda.
"Oh
our brothers in Palestine, Chechnya, Kashmir and Iraq: We will have good
news for you very soon. And it will be about our supremacy over the
Americans. This will be in the shape of martyrdom attacks against
Americans in the current month," Hakim said.
The
speaker said the coming attacks would mimic those carried out in the
Afghan cities and towns of Kabul, Kandahar and Spinboldak.
On
June 7, an explosive-laden taxi rammed a bus carrying German
peacekeepers in Kabul, killing four Germans and an Afghan civilian. In
both Kandahar and Spinboldak, there have been grenade assaults and
remote controlled bombings.
"Our
mujahedeen brothers are regrouping in Kunar, Khost, Gardez, Jalalabad,
Kabul and Logar," he said, referring to parts of Afghanistan.
"They
are engaged in preparations for the attack."
Unconfirmed
Observers
questioned the authenticity of the scratchy video cassette, as the man
appeared with a face covered by a black turban, a tactic rarely used by
Al-Qaeda members and leaders who used to appear unmasked on the screen,
even those who claimed responsibility for the September 11 hijack
attacks.
The
CNN said that it was unable to verify the authenticity of the
video or whether the man speaks for Al-Qaeda.
In
the 35-minute video, the speaker is seen seated on a straw mat on the
floor of a brick mud hut with a Kalashnikov assault rifle by his side as
he read from several sheets of paper.
With
his face hidden, it was impossible to confirm his identity, Reuters
said.
The
White House declined to comment on the video Saturday, and Pakistani
intelligence officials denied any knowledge of the video.
