U.S. fears possible attacks on ‘soft targets’ as early as Wednesday

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Monday, February 10, 2003

Officials said the U.S. intelligence community has relayed information that Al Qaida intends to launch an attack during the Id Al Adha holiday with “soft targets” such as tourists likely victims. The holiday is marked by an annual Muslim pilgrimage to the Saudi city of Mecca.

Id Al Adha is expected to begin on Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims, including Gulf Arab leaders, have arrived in Mecca for the Haj pilgrimage, Middle East Newsline reported.

Officials said Al Qaida could be planning attacks similar to those launched last year on an Israeli-owned resort hotel in Mombasa, Kenya and nightclub in Bali, Indonesia. The attacks focus on so-called soft targets that contain Western civilians, mostly tourists.