Al Qaeda Claims Credit For Carmel Fire

Via Gateway Pundit we learn of a report from December 4 that Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility for the Carmel fire in Israel:

The terrorist organization Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the fire that has devastated the forests of Mount Caramel, the most serious environmental disaster in the history of Israel. Although the local police authorities attribute the blaze to negligence and the prolonged drought that is affecting the region.


Today, a new terrorist group, which claims links to Al Qaeda, posted a video message on jihadist forums, the same used by Osama Bin Laden, declaring to be behind the fire. The group, which calls itself “Lions of the mujahideen in Palestine" claims to have set fire to the trees of Mount Carmel, triggering the inferno which is still raging. "The lions of the mujahideen in Palestine" say they carried out the arson attack on the night between Thursday and Friday - "performing a holy and heroic expedition within the territory of the usurpers on occupied Mount Caramel setting fire to its trees, causing the deaths of more than 40 people and wounding dozens, as recognized by the enemy itself".

The group even goes so far as to supply a motive for their attack:

"this blessed expedition is part of the series of expeditions undertaken against the Jewish occupier to avenge the blood of Muslims killed, first of all Muhamman al-Namnam and the brothers Islam and Muhammad Yasin and other Palestinian Salafi jihadist. The enemy knows that the children of monotheism are not asleep and are capable of teaching them a lesson." The reference is to the three members of the Palestinian jihadist group "Army of Islam", an acronym related to al-Qaeda in theGaza Strip, killed in recent weeks, in two different Israeli air raids.

So Al Qaeda has gone from killing other Arabs to going on "blessed expeditions" to burn down trees. I suppose environmental terrorism is easier than wearing those bulky suicide vests. Come to think of it, unlike in the good old days in Iraq, these terrorists are not required to die on their missions.

Actually, those who died in the fire were trying to rescue Arabs in the Damon prison on Carmel--so I guess Al Qaeda hasn't really changed its tactics after all: they still kill their fellow Arabs.

Technorati Tag: Carmel Fire and Al Qaeda.