Sept 11-style strike 'in planning'
From correspondents in Dubai
08 May 03

AL-QAEDA is reportedly preparing a new attack in the United States 
on the scale of September 11.  

The terror group is also said to have adopted a new operational 
structure impenetrable to US intelligence.  

The claims are made by the Islamic militant network's newly-appointed 
spokesman Thabet bin Qais in a report in the Saudi weekly Al-Majallah. 

"An attack against America is inevitable," he is quoted as saying in 
an email to the paper.   

He said al-Qaeda had "carried out changes in its leadership and 
sidelined the September 11, 2001 team".  

"Future missions have been entrusted to the new team, which is well 
protected against the US intelligence services. The old leadership 
does not know the names of any of its members."  

Bin Qais went on to mock concerns expressed by Washington about 
a possible al-Qaeda attack on its consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, 
saying the network's target was the United States itself.  

"Of course, the US consulate in Karachi is a US interest and a staging 
post for Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel in Pakistan, but it 
doesn't necessarily constitute a pressing target.  

"Striking it is not a priority for al-Qaeda compared with the plans 
under way preparing a new attack in the United States on the scale of 
September 11."  

The purported message from al-Qaeda also scoffed at recent press 
reports that US agents were hot on the trail of its leader Osama 
bin Laden, whose whereabouts has been a mystery since the war in 
Afghanistan.  

"We keep our cool in the face of such reports, just as we do when the 
Americans say they have uncovered new al-Qaeda plans or arrested our 
leaders," bin Qais said.  

"The al-Qaeda organisation does not allow itself to be affected 
by the death or arrest of any of its members ... because fallback 
plans and replacement personnel are always available."


Source: "The Advertiser" - Adelaide
www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6400801%255E401,00.html

Cheers, Steve..

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