Japan economy said bin Laden target

CAIRO (Kyodo) Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden contemplated in November 2001 sabotaging the Japanese economy by attacking oil tankers headed to the country, someone claiming to be a former member of the terrorist group said in a recent interview.

If true, bin Laden's remarks, reportedly made while he was hiding in the mountainous Tora Bora area of eastern Afghanistan, would indicate that Japan's decision to support U.S.-led military operations against terrorism put it squarely on the al-Qaida leader's hit list.

The former al-Qaida member, a Saudi citizen who refused to be named, joined the group in 1997 and was made one of bin Laden's guards after the leader escaped to Tora Bora amid intense U.S. military activity following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

During their struggle to survive in the rugged mountains, a close aide to bin Laden told the source that "the Sheik" was frustrated with Japan's political stance.

The aide was said to have quoted bin Laden as saying: "Japan can't stand any attack against its interests. We could destroy Japan's economy. We could attack tankers headed to Japan."

In October 2001, the Diet passed a law to send the Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Indian Ocean to participate in fueling operations to help the United States and other allies in the war against terror. Bin Laden's remarks appear to have been made in response to this development.

The former al-Qaida member did not know if bin Laden and his ranks had subsequently formulated a concrete plan to sabotage Japan's economy.

However, an attack against an oil tanker did take place in October 2002 off Yemen, involving a French tanker carrying oil from Iran to Malaysia that was rammed by a dingy loaded with explosives.