US warns of revenge attacks after hits on al-Qaida militants - Times of India

WASHINGTON: The United States warned its nationals on Saturday of "potential for retaliation" after two key al-Qaida figures were killed in an air raid in Yemen.

The State department issued a global travel alert to US citizens, a day after Washington confirmed that US-Yemeni citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, the external operations leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was killed.

"Awlaqi's standing as a preeminent English-language advocate of violence could potentially trigger anti-American acts worldwide to avenge his death," the State Department said in its alert.

"In the past Awlaqi and other members of AQAP have called for attacks against the United States, US citizens and US interests," it added.

Yemen's defence ministry said Awlaqi, an al-Qaida leader, was killed on Friday morning, while a man wounded in the attack was quoted as saying seven people were killed in the air strike in Marib province, a hotbed of al-Qaida activity.

The ministry said among those killed was Pakistani- American Samir Khan.

New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly has described Khan as the publisher of al-Qaida's English-language magazine "Inspire."

Kelly said today that his force was on alert following the killing in Yemen of Awlaqi, acknowledging the US-born Islamic cleric's sympathisers might seek revenge.