[291110.EN.SEA] Al-Qaeda Man Confirmed as Suicide Bomber of MOL Ship Off Oman

A SUICIDE bomb attack on MOL's 314,016-ton M Star in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, has been confirmed by the US Department of Transportation as being the work of Al Qaeda franchise Abdullah Azzam Brigades, which originally claimed responsibility, but whose claims were doubted.

The July 28 explosion inflicted hull damage, killed the bomber and slightly injured a sailor, but caused no oil leakage, reported Tanker Operator.

"The martyr hero Ayyub Al Tayshan blew himself up in the Japanese oil tanker M Star in the Strait of Hormuz between the UAE and Oman," said the posting on the Abdullah Azzam Brigades website at the time of the attack on July 28.

Said the US Department of Transportation: "Government and industry sources can confirm that the claim by the Abdullah Azzam Brigades is valid. The group remains active and can conduct further attacks on vessels in areas in the Strait of Hormuz, southern Arabian Gulf, and western Gulf of Oman," it warned.

The department advised ships should pay close attention to any movements of smaller vessels when passing through these waters, as well as advising the "exercise increased vigilance and caution", particularly at night.

At the time of the attack, Lloyd's List reported there were doubts that Abdullah Azzam Brigades' claim to be a member of al Qaeda and its responsibility for the tanker bombing. Its report cited an unidentified security analyst saying that the group had falsely claimed responsibility for attacks before, and dismissed its Al Qaeda connection. Another analyst called the group "freelance and not state-sponsored."

Source : HKSG, 29.11.10.