Embassy blast 'first drop of rain'

2008-06-05 07:28

Cairo - An internet posting purportedly by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan claimed on Thursday that the group was behind the bombing of the Danish embassy in Pakistan this week that left six people dead.

The statement said Monday's bombing in Islamabad was carried out to fulfil the promise of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden to exact revenge over the reprinting in Danish papers of a cartoon of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

It said the bombing came in defence of the religion, the blood and the honour of Muslims, and warned that if Denmark fails to apologise for the cartoons, more attacks will follow and Monday's blast will "only be the first drop of rain".

The group said their attack is but a "warning to this infidel nation and whoever follows its example." Denmark "published the insulting drawings of the messenger" and later "refused to apologise for publishing them, instead they repeated their act", it said.

The authenticity of the statement, which was posted on a website frequently used by Islamic militants, could not be independently verified. It was signed by an al-Qaeda commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abul-Yazid, and dated Tuesday.

It said the bombing was carried out by an al-Qaeda martyr whose last will and testament will soon be made public, and thanked Pakistani jihadists who allegedly helped prepare and execute the plot.

Threats over cartoons

Denmark officials said earlier that they suspected al-Qaeda was behind the Islamabad attack.

The terror network has threatened Denmark over the reprinting in Danish papers earlier this year of a cartoon that depicted Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

In early 2006, a dozen Muhammad cartoons, originally published in a Danish newspaper, triggered fiery protests in Muslim countries when they were reprinted by a range of European media.

The drawing showing Muhammad wearing the bomb-shaped turban appeared again in Danish newspapers on February 13, after Danish police said they foiled an alleged plot to murder the cartoonist who drew it.

- AP