A world leader is likely to be assassinated as a prelude to attacks on 'multiple targets in multiple venues" by the Al Qaeda, reports The Washington Times.
Quoting unnamed intelligence officials, the Times said the details were found on a laptop owned by Al Qaeda operative Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan, who was arrested July 13 at Lahore airport.
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The assassination is likely to be triggered by a public release of a message by Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, said the Times. It quoted an official as saying the target could be a US or foreign leader either in the United States or abroad. Apart from the US, Saudi Arabia and Yemen were the likely locales for the assassination attempt, he added.
The officials also believe that several al Qaeda terrorists already in the US are part of the subsequent bombings planned using trucks and cars, and hijacked aircraft, including commercial airliners and helicopters. "There is a particular concern that chemical trucks will be used," one official told the Times.
"The goal of the next attack is twofold: to damage the U.S. economy and to undermine the US election," the article quoted an official as saying. "The view of Al Qaeda is 'anybody but Bush.' "
Intelligence reports say that the new tape Osama will surface soon, and "the message likely will be the signal for the attack to be launched," an official told the Times. Bin Laden last released a taped message in April.
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