Al-Qaeda: More attacks in the works

Al-Qaeda threatens with more attacks against anybody who had dared publish the Mohammed cartoons. Meanwhile, though Adresseavisen claims that it did not publish a Mohammed cartoon, Norwegian Muslims are saying that they feel insulted (Norwegian). The story about the new insulting Norwegian Mohammed cartoon appeared on various Arabic news sites, including Al-Jazeera (Arabic).

----

Terrorist organization al-Qaida, which has claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing of the Danish Embassy in Pakistan, now is making threats against Norway as well.


Al-Qaida's leader in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, reported in a written bulletin Thursday that it carried out the terrorist attack on the Danish Embassy in Islamabad. The bombing killed eight persons, injured 35 and also caused extensive damage in the area.


The blast blew out windows at the Norwegian Embassy, which is located just a few hundred meters from the Danish overseas mission.


The Danish attack was another reprisal against a Danish newspaper's publication of caricatures depicting the prophet Mohammed wearing a bomb-shaped turban. Muslims around the world were offended, and many staged violent demonstrations at the time, also against some Norwegian targets because a small Norwegian magazine had reprinted the drawings.


Al-Yazid claimed that more attacks are in the works, and the targets will be embassies and diplomatic personnel from countries that also published the Mohammed caricatures.


IntelCenter, an American intelligence organization that monitors al-Qaida messages, believes that since Norway is among such countries, it is therefore directly threatened by al-Qaida. IntelCenter said Norway, the US and all European Union member countries were most at risk.


Norway's embassy in Pakistan closed immediately after Monday's bombing, to repair damage and assess its security.


Aud Marit Wiig, ambassador to Pakistan, wasn't aware of al-Qaida's message when contacted by Aftenposten.no, but said that Norwegian authorities "of course must take it seriously."


Source: Aftenposten (English)

See also: Norway: Muhammed cartoon, Denmark and Norway targets for al-Qaeda