Qaeda vows to strike London

Al Qaeda’s new leader Saif al Adel has vowed to launch attacks on London to avenge Osama bin Laden’s killing by US Special Forces in his Abbottabad compound in Pakistan.

The Sun quoted Taliban chiefs as saying that 51-year-old al Adel is determined to make Britain and the US pay a price for killing his group’s leader.

He warned that London would be the first to face a renewed 7/7 atrocity that had left 52 dead, as terrorist cells have already been dispatched there and are waiting for orders to attack.

Taliban chiefs also said al Qaeda’s caretaker leader al Adel meaning ‘Sword of Islam’ has ordered his followers to organised large-scale international operations like 9/11.

He also urged them to "crush the infidels" in America and the UK to take revenge of bin Laden’s death.

"Our new leader has asked for a big plan for London. He believes the UK is the backbone of Europe and must be crushed. This will be followed by attacks in other western countries. London was picked out because we have a big representation in the UK," Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said.

Former commando al Adel was once Bin Laden''s security chief and a key figure in terror plots.

First Published: May 21, 2011 16:30 IST