An infamous Al Qaeda magazine is encouraging “lone wolf” terrorist attacks on some of the US’s most notable businessmen, including Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg, according to reports.
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Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke was also named, although not his successor Janet Yellen, as was Jim Walton, one of the heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune.
The article then goes on to say the “economic personalities” and “wealthy entrepreneurs” could see their names removed from the hit list if they would withdraw all their money from USA banks and refrain from investing in overseas’ markets.
The magazine printed a photo illustration depicting several of the billionaires bloodied next to a dripping gun, claiming this would get in the way of the “revival of the America Economy”, according to NBC. A prominent economist was also on the list but asked that his name be withheld.
“Why me? I am non-plussed”. He said, “Why me? I quoted Mohammed. I’m sympathetic to the Islamic community”.
Evan Kohlmann of Flashpoint Intelligence, an NBC News counterterrorism analyst, said that much of the magazine’s content is “somewhat aspirational”.
The Al Qaeda Magazine published the article, “How to Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom.” which provided the materials needed to create explosives.
NBC News reports the threat is the second time at last that US financial leaders have been targeted by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
A law enforcement source told CBS News the latest issue of INSPIRE magazine was particularly troubling given that it was released just days before the 14th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, which the magazine referred to as “the blessed 9/11 operation”, CBS News reported.
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It shows a new interest in lone-wolf attacks for al-Qaeda, which now appears to be learning lessons from the terror group ISIS.
