WASHINGTON — Al-Qaida supporters suggested in a Web site message this
week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the U.S. as a
way to usher in a McCain presidency.
The message, posted Monday on the password-protected al-Hesbah Web
site, said if al-Qaida wants to exhaust the United States militarily
and economically, "impetuous" Republican presidential candidate Sen.
John McCain is the better choice because he is more likely to continue
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"This requires presence of an impetuous American leader such as
McCain, who pledged to continue the war till the last American
soldier," the message said. "Then, al-Qaida will have to support
McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march
of his predecessor, Bush."
SITE Intelligence Group, based in Bethesda, Md., monitors the Web site
and translated the message.
"If al-Qaida carries out a big operation against American interests,"
the message said, "this act will be support of McCain because it will
push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes
revenge for them against al-Qaida. Al-Qaida then will succeed in
exhausting America till its last year in it."
Mark Salter, a senior McCain adviser, said he had heard about the Web
site chatter but had no immediate comment.
The message is credited to a frequent and apparently respected
contributor named Muhammad Haafid. However, Haafid is not believed to
have a direct affiliation with al-Qaida plans or knowledge of its
operations, according to SITE.
SITE senior analyst Adam Raisman said this message caught SITE's
attention because there has been little other chatter on the forums
about the U.S. election.
SITE was struck by the message's detailed analysis _ and apparent
jubilation _ about American financial woes.
"What we try to do is get the pulse of the jihadist community,"
Raisman said. "And it's about the financial crisis."
Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden issued a videotape just four days
before the 2004 U.S. presidential election directly addressing the
American people.
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