FBI: Attacks 'Likely'

However, the bureau is also asking U.S. law enforcement agencies to be "vigilant."

Citing an "intelligence bulletin" sent by the FBI to domestic law enforcement agencies over the weekend, bureau spokesman Bill Carter said, "The May 12 bombing in Saudi Arabia indicates that al-Qaida is still active. The U.S. intelligence community assesses that attacks overseas are likely, and attacks in the United States cannot be ruled out."

The intelligence assessment did not uncover specific information on attacks in the United States.

"There is nothing specific at this point that we're aware of with regard to targets in the United States," Carter added, "but we can't rule out the possibility."

Carter said the FBI is asking U.S. law enforcement agencies to "remain vigilant to potential indicators" of impending attacks.

As for the apparent resurgence of al-Qaida after the organization was routed by U.S. forces in its Afghanistan haven last year, Carter stressed the continuity and amorphous nature of the group.

"What is al-Qaida?" Carter said. "It's a kind of nebulous organization."

The FBI spokesman pointed out that the terror organization processed 20,000 people through its training camps in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban regime before those facilities were destroyed. "There is a pool that they can call from," he said.

Founded by renegade Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida is believed responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States in which some 3,000 people were killed.

Al-Qaida was also implicated in the 1998 bombing attacks on U.S. embassies in East Africa and the 2000 bombing attack on the USS Cole in Aden Harbor in Yemen.

While a fugitive in Sudan in 1998, bin Laden issued a "fatwa," or religious legal opinion against the United States, calling on Muslims to attack U.S. targets. He also called on Islamic nations to develop or buy nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Saudi officials have linked the organization to the May 12 bombings of Western compounds in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Those attacks claimed 25 lives, as well as nine people believed to be suicide bombers.

An FBI explosives team is in Riyadh to assist the Saudis in the investigation.

Saudi officials have also warned that more attacks are expected.

In Washington, the FBI's Carter said the official U.S. estimate of the organization's potential remains extremely cautious: "Al-Qaida and other international terrorist groups have demonstrated they have the ability to plan and carry out attacks against multiple targets."

Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.