13 December 2004

BERLIN - Iraq-based al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Mussab al- Zarkawi is planning a terror strike of greater magnitude than the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, according to a German newspaper report published on Monday.

The daily Tagesspiegel in Berlin quotes a follower of al-Zarkawi as saying the Jordanian radical, who is believed to be behind many of the kidnappings and attacks in Iraq, had told him there would be "a really big event" soon.

According to the follower, named as Fathala F., al-Zarkawi had told him the attack would be bigger than the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Tagesspiegel said it interviewed Fathala F., who is being held by US forces in Iraq, during a six-hour meeting last Thursday.

Fathala F., a Kurdish member of the Iraqi terror group Ansar al- Sunna, said he had met al-Zarkawi in Falluja before US forces moved into the rebel stronghold last month.

The report said Fathala F. has been offered a special witness deal by US authorities in return for information. It said security authorities believe his account of the meeting with al- Zarkawi to be genuine.

DPA

Subject: German news