Al-Qaida group claims Pakistan suicide attack
A militant group has posted an internet statement in the name of al-Qaida claiming responsibility for yesterday’s attempt to assassinate Pakistan’s prime minister-designate.
“One of our blessed battalions tried to hunt a head of one of America’s infidels in Pakistan while he was returning from Fateh Jang, but God wanted him to survive,” the statement said.
It referred to the town near the Pakistani capital where yesterday’s suicide attack on Shaukat Aziz took place.
Written in Arabic, the message was posted on an Islamic website known for carrying messages from Islamic militant groups.
It was not possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.
The group calls itself the “al-Islambouli Brigades of al-Qaida”.
Lieutenant Khaled Islambouli was the leader of the group of soldiers who assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat during a military parade in Cairo in 1981.
The statement said the attempted assassination was a response to Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf for his transferring wanted militants to the custody of the United States.
