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Al-Qaida Reportedly Plans Big New Attack

Thursday, May 8, 2003
(11:29 AM)
By Sarah el Deeb
Associated Press Writer

In a message received Tuesday, al-Qaida spokesman Thabet bin Qais warned of plots “the size of the Sept. 11 attacks” being devised against the United States. “A strike against America is definitely coming,” he said.

DOHA, Qatar -- AP
An Arabic weekly is reporting an interview with a purported new spokesman for al-Qaida who claims the terror network has completely reorganized. He says old operatives have been replaced by new ones who are planning an attack against the United States on the scale of Sept. 11.

The claims were based on e-mail interviews conducted this week by the London-based magazine Al Majalla with al-Qaida spokesman Thabet bin Qais, the magazine reports in an issue to appear Friday.

The magazine provided The Associated Press with an advance copy of the story.

“The Americans only have predictions and old intelligence left,” the magazine quoted bin Qais as saying. “It will take them a long time to understand the new form of al-Qaida.”

The magazine quoted bin Qais as saying al-Qaida remains “way ahead of the Americans and its allies in the intelligence war, and American security agencies still are ignorant of the changes the leadership has made.”
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2003 © The Associated Press.

Dan