The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes that Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network is determined to carry out new attacks against the United States and its allies before or immediately after the beginning of an anticipated war against Iraq, according to Newsweek magazine.
"Our reporting strongly suggests that al-Qaeda has completed preparations for multiple attacks with spectaculars set for the United States and probably Saudi Arabia, and is delaying them until just before or just after a war begins with Iraq," the magazine quoted a classified FBI bulletin in an issue due to hit the newsstands Monday.
Intelligence sources, cited by the magazine, said the planned attacks seem to be timed to take place between the end of the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, in mid-February, and the start of war in Iraq.
"In that situation, al-Qaeda attacks will be described as an effort to defend Iraqi Muslims against the attack of the US-led Crusaders," said the document cited in the report. (Albawaba.com)
