School of Media and Communication

Phil Taylor's papers

BACK TO : TALIBAN & AL QAIDA PROPAGANDA (including the 'bin Laden Tapes' & AQ statements) with analysis

Abdulaziz al-Muqrin's statement, 28 April 2004


Al-Qaida warning by Saudi Arabia's most wanted man

Conal Urquhart
Wednesday April 28, 2004
The Guardian

A statement attributed to an al-Qaida leader who is Saudi Arabia's most wanted man yesterday warned that the terrorist group intended to launch "fierce" attacks against Jews, Americans and western interests in the Middle East.

The statement by Abdulaziz al-Muqrin was broadcast over the internet.

It said: "The Jews, the Americans and crusaders in general will remain the targets of our coming attacks and this year, God willing, will be fiercer and harsher for them.

"And the apostate Saudi government will be incapable of protecting their interests or providing security for them."

The style and voice was similar to previous statements by Al-Muqrin, who is believed to have been responsible for suicide bomb attacks last year which killed 53 people.

The 35-year-old terrorist fought in Afghanistan and Bosnia before becoming a part of al-Qaida.

He is seen as a typical al-Qaida commander, who has abandoned the conventional war for the Islamic cause in favour of terrorism and guerrilla attacks against western interests.

He warned Americans to leave the Arabian peninsula and told Washington to withdraw its troops and bases from Muslim states, to end its occupation of Muslim land and to end its support of Israel.

"We warn Muslims to stay away from Americans and their civilian and military sites so that they will not be harmed when the infidels are targeted," he said.

"We reiterate our previous declared commitment of the jihad policy of al-Qaida to target the crusaders, Jews and apostates... We will show them what we are capable of," he said.

He denied that al-Qaida was behind a suicide bombing in Riyadh last week that killed five, but applauded it as a punishment for the Saudi regime.

"We are not responsible for the bombing of the emergency security building in Riyadh, although we believe it is an expected result of the infidel, unjust and oppressive policy of the apostates who spread corruption and divert the country's resources and capabilities to the Christian-Jewish alliance.

"The apostate leaders should not assume that they will be spared by the nation's honourable men who refuse to live under an infidel rule which allows what God forbids, forbids what God allows, spreads corruption and violates the legitimate rights of people enshrined by their religion," he said.




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