WASHINGTON (AFP) - Al-Qaeda is reportedly planning a high-level assassination against a US or foreign leader to disrupt the US presidential election, that will be set in motion by a new tape from its leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).
Quoting from unnamed US intelligence officials, The Washington Times said besides the United States, two possible places where the assassination would take place are Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
The assassination would signal the launch of more terrorist attacks involving "multiple targets in multiple venues" across the United States, the officials said.
They said the "very detailed" plans were found on a laptop computer of suspected Al-Qaeda computer expert Naeem Noor Khan, arrested in Pakistan last month.
"The goal of the next attack is twofold: to damage the US economy and to undermine the US election," an intelligence official said, referring to the November 2 presidential election pitting Republican President George W. Bush (news - web sites) and Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites).
"The view of Al-Qaeda is 'anybody but Bush,'" said the official.
The officials said the likely trigger for Al-Qaeda's new terrorist campaign would be a new video and audio message from bin Laden, which they expected to surface soon.
"The message likely will be the signal for the attack to be launched," one official said.