The al-Qaida terror network has claimed responsibility for the suicide car bombing in which 17 people were killed in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday, an Arab newspaper reported.
“We struck Muhaya compound,” an an email from a purported al-Qaida operative Abu Mohammed al-Ablaj said, according to the Al-Majalla newspaper. It was the first claim of responsibility for the bombing.
Saudi and US officials have already blamed the attack on al-Qaida, which opposes the United States and the Saudi ruling family. The attack, the officials say, was similar to previous al-Qaida strikes.
Al-Majalla magazine began receiving emails from al-Ablaj earlier this year. A US counter terrorism official has said al-Ablaj was believed to be a leading al-Qaida figure also known as Abu Bakr.
The email warned that “working with Americans and mixing with them” was forbidden by al-Qaida.