CIA suicide bombing 'was revenge for drone attacks'

[AnGrz_Z_K_Jailer]

The aim of the deadly bombing of a CIA outpost in Afghanistan was to avenge drone attacks carried out by America, a top al-Qaeda leader has said.

Published: 7:00AM GMT 07 Jan 2010

The claim was made in a message on jihadist internet forums.

It added further confusion to which group orchestrated the suicide bombing that killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer and wounded six.

A Pakistani Taliban spokesman previously had identified the bomber and claimed responsibility. Terrorist watchdog groups were unsure if the new message was a claim of responsibility by al-Qaeda or praise for the bomber.

The bomber, a Jordanian doctor identified as Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, apparently was a double agent who had been invited inside the CIA outpost bearing a promise of information about al-Qaida's second in command, presumed to be hiding in Pakistan.

The new internet message is signed by Al-Qaeda's No. 3, Sheikh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid. He said the attack avenged the death of Baitullah Mehsud, Abu Saleh al-Somali and Abdullah Saeed al-Liby.

A US counterterrorism official has said that al-Somali was a senior al-Qaeda operations planner who was killed in an American missile strike last month in western Pakistan. Mehsud was a Pakistani Taliban leader killed Aug. 5 in a CIA missile strike in northwest Pakistan.

He said al-Somali was part of al-Qaeda's senior leadership circle and had connections to other Pakistan-based extremists. His role was to take guidance from senior leaders and develop plans for prospective terrorist attacks, the official said.

Link : CIA suicide bombing 'was revenge for drone attacks' - Telegraph