The leader of al-Qaida in Yemen is warning 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, Nasser al-Wahishi tells Americans that the "ember of jihad ((holy war)) is brighter" following bin Laden's death and that "what is coming is greater and worse."
The warning from the leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula came as top U.S. Senator John Kerry announced he will travel to Pakistan next week to try and put relations with that country "back on track" after bin Laden's death.U.S. special forces killed the al-Qaida leader during a May 2 raid on a compound in Pakistan's garrison city of Abbottabad.The discovery of bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan and his subsequent killing in a U.S. raid has further strained relations between the U.S. and Pakistan.
Kerry, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters in Washington he plans to discuss bilateral ties with Pakistani officials during his trip to Islamabad.Earlier this week, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani rejected allegations that Pakistan's military and spy agency were complicit or incompetent in failing to detect bin Laden's lair.The Pakistani leader also criticized the U.S. raid, warning of "serious consequences" from such unilateral actions.