The leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has warned the United States of more attacks in retaliation for last week's killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
In a statement posted on the Internet Wednesday, Yemen-based Nasser al-Wahishi told Americans not to fool themselves that the "matter will be over" with bin Laden's killing. He said the "ember of jihad is glowing brighter" and that "what is coming is greater and worse."
The warning came as U.S. Senator John Kerry announced he will travel to Pakistan next week to try and put bilateral relations "back on track" after the U.S. raid on bin Laden's compound in the northern garrison city of Abbottabad.
The raid May 2 has further strained relations between the U.S. and Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers, said there may have been "elements" in Pakistan who knew bin Laden was hiding in the country but that, so far, there are no indications that senior Pakistani officials knew and provided a safe haven.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the "successful mission against a mass murderer" was entirely justified.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told lawmakers Wednesday that Pakistan should not allow its territory to be used for terrorism and he ordered a military probe into how bin Laden was able to live in the country undetected.
But opposition leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejected that investigation and instead demanded an independent inquiry led by Pakistan's chief justice into bin Laden and the U.S. raid that killed him.
Sharif also criticized Pakistan's intelligence agency for failing to detect the U.S. raid and repeated that the operation was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty.
Gilani has rejected allegations that Pakistan's military and spy agency were complicit or incompetent in failing to detect bin Laden's presence. He also has criticized the U.S. raid, warning of "serious consequences" from such unilateral actions.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
Al-Qaida Warns of More Attacks
