Dubai — Al-Qa'ida spokesman Abu-Muhammad al-Ablaj has revealed in a message which Al-Majallah received by e-mail that his organization is preparing to launch a mortal blow against the Americans during the month of Ramadan.

However, he declined to specify whether this strike will be carried out on or outside US territory.

Al-Ablaj also said that a major change has occurred in Al-Qa'ida's military strategy vis-a-vis targeting Islamic and Arab states and their military and security services.

Al-Ablaj pointed out that new orders have been issued by Usama Bin Ladin to wage guerrilla warfare against the Arab and Islamic countries where the United States has a military and trade presence.

He said that it is now legitimate for Muslims throughout the world to shed the blood of the Americans, civilians and military. He did not rule out the possibility of the strike, which he said will be painful, taking place against the US presence in Iraq.

Al-Ablaj said that Al-Qa'ida leaders are currently busy working to issue a fatwa signed by reliable ulema that would allow them to fight the Arab and Islamic regimes. He added that the preliminary features of the guerrilla warfare that Bin Ladin and the key members of his leadership endorsed will not be limited to martyrdom (suicide) operations and bombings; there will be several means for individual and mass killings through the use of various types of weapons.

Al-Ablaj said: "the plan stipulates killing the 'Crusaders' first, then moving on to the Arab and Islamic states (no closing quotation marks). However, he said that "the protection of the Americans and British in Muslim countries has been revoked as a result of the actions committed by their governments in the form of support for the Jews against Muslims in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq; this has turned the United States into someone who is waging war on Islam and Muslims. Thus it is legitimate for Muslims throughout the world to shed the blood of the Americans.

Description of Source: London Al-Majallah in Arabic — London-based Saudi-owned weekly; sister magazine of Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper providing independent coverage of Arab and international issues)