...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
naval yard that left a sailor and three attackers dead, saying former military officers had helped in the attack.
It is the first attack claimed by the terror network's new wing, whose creation was announced by chief Ayman Al-
Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
last week.
The claims, made on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York, will likely add to concerns about turban infiltration of the Pak military's ranks after the Taliban, who also claimed to be behind the attack, said they received inside help.
Defence minister Khawaja Asif had voiced concerns when addressing parliament on Wednesday, saying: "We cannot rule out the inside help in this attack because without it the miscreants could not breach security."
Al-Qaeda in South Asia was launched last week in what experts see as a bid to remain relevant in the face of rising competition by the Islamic State (IS).
"The operation near Karachi shore was an attack by Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent," an Urdu-language statement from the group sent to AFP said.
It claimed that the target of the raid was a "US supply ship" and said the dead attackers included former Pakistain navy officers.
It was not immediately possible to confirm whether a US ship was present at the port. Militant groups in the region often exaggerate claims about attacks.
Commodore Nadeem Bukhari, a front man for the Pakistain navy said an investigation into the attack was under way.
"It cannot be ruled out but it is still premature to say that it was an inside work," he told AFP.
Al-Qaeda said the officers quit their jobs and joined the bully boyz after growing becoming radicalised.
Al-Qaeda was previously linked to a 2011 raid on another Karachi naval base that lasted 17 hours resulting in the deaths of 10 personnel and destruction of two US-made spy planes.
The new hardline Jamat-ul-Ahrar faction of the Pak Taliban sent a "greetings card" to journalists on Thursday gloating over the 9/11 attacks and hailing former Al-Qaeda chief the late Osama bin Laden
... who is now neither a strong horse nor a weak horse, but a dead horse...
.