Al-Qaida video threatens attack on Lebanon

A group claiming to be an al-Qaida branch in Syria and Lebanon threatened in an online video today to attack Lebanon's military and its tourist venues if troops do not halt operations against Islamic militants in a Palestinian refugee camp.

The video could reflect a propaganda attempt to rally extremists over the battle at the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp more than a true organised threat. The group - calling itself al Qaida in al-Sham - is little known and has not claimed attacks in the past.

But it highlighted the danger that the fighting in northern Lebanon could stir up other militant attacks around the country.

"We warn you (Lebanese forces) for the last time, and after this there will only be seas of blood," said a man in the video, identifying himself as the military commander of al-Qaida in al-Sham, an Arabic word referring to the area of Syria, Lebanon and parts of Jordan.

"If you don't cease this, we will take out your hearts with booby-traps and besiege your positions with bombs, and target all of your trade, starting with tourism," he said. He demanded the military withdraw its troops from around the camp.

In the seven-minute video, the man was seen standing in an area of green trees, a red kafiyyeh scarf covering his head and face and an ammunition belt looped over his chest.

The video - first reported by the SITE Institute, a private US group that monitors militant messages - was posted on an internet forum where Islamic extremists often issue statements.

The Lebanese military has vowed to crush Fatah Islam, an Islamic militant group that arose in the Nahr el-Bared camp late last year.

Both Lebanon and Syria have warned of a growing al-Qaida presence on their territories over the past year.

But the real extent of the terror group's presence - and of the connection of militants in the two countries to the terror network - is unknown, especially since groups with few capabilities can easily adopt al-Qaida's name or ideology in online messages.

The leader of Fatah Islam has said he follows Osama bin Laden's calls for jihad or "holy war", but denies any link to al-Qaida.

Syrian authorities have blamed a group called Jund al-Sham, or the Army of al-Sham, for several terror attacks in the country over the past year. But little is known of the group.