Purported Qaeda Letter Says U.S. Strike Near Ready

A letter purporting to come from Osama bin Laden's militant Islamist al Qaeda network said a big attack on the United States was in the final stages of preparation, a London-based Arabic newspaper said on Thursday. "We bring the good news to Muslims of the world that the expected 'Winds of Black Death' strike against America is now in its final stage...90 percent (ready) and God willing near," the letter said. The letter, signed by the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades which said it is part of al Qaeda, was sent to the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper. A copy of the letter was faxed to Reuters in Dubai. It was not possible to independently authenticate the letter.

"Winds of Black Death"? Sounds like a biological attack to me. I live in Washington DC, and I'd be lying if I said yesterday's scene in Madrid didn't make me think twice about it. Metro Center is the equivalent of Madrid's Atocha station (where the biggest of the bombs went off). My wife changes trains there twice a day. I can't even write about this. It just fills me with the worst kind of dread.

Posted by flow Frazao on March 12, 2004 at 03:03 PM | Permalink