A letter purporting to come from Al Qaeda firmly denied any role in Tuesday's attacks against Shiite shrines in Karbala and Baghdad, which killed nearly 200 people.
Instead, the letter blamed the attacks on the United States.
Signed by the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades with "al Qaeda" in parenthesis, the letter was sent to the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi paper.
"US troops have committed a massacre against the innocent Shi'ite people to set sectarianism ablaze among Iraq's Muslims," the letter said.
"We, and with God as our witness, say we are innocent of this act and of anything that will drive the Shi'ites away. Our mujahideen (holy warriors) love God and his prophet and will not do anything that will harm the Iraqi people."
The letter also urged the people of Iraq to launch war against their American occupiers and called on them to keep away from areas frequented by the "infidels and apostates." (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
