Were car bombs revenge for Rushdie's knighthood?

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Hours before police dismantled the first car bomb, a posting on the Al Hesbah chat forum pointed to an imminent Al Qaeda bombing in London.

The message, posted under the name Abu Osama al-Hazeen, gave the invasion of Iraq and the recent knighthood for Salman Rushdie as justification for a fresh terrorist attack on Britain.

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Salman Rushdie with his wife Padma Lakshmi,

Al-Hazeen wrote: "Is Britain longing for Al Qaeda's bombings? We, and the whole world has seen what Britain has done ... their intention to honour Salman Rushdie who insulted and slandered Islam.

"This 'honouring' came at a crucial time, a time when the whole nation is reeling from the Crusaders attacks on all Muslim lands.

"The British capital has witnessed blessed operations that shook it to its foundations.

"This was because the British had attacked the lands of Muslims and Al Qaeda is still threatening to strike against Britain to throw it out of the lands of Islam.

"But now, there's yet another reason for Al Qaeda to carry out such threats; the honouring of the apostate Salman Rushdie by the Crusaders ... Rushdie who insulted Islam ... and this reason has led Muslims to become even more sympathetic with the Mujahideen.

"The question now is: Has London longed for the bombings of Al Qaeda? We say to Britain, the Emir of Al Qaeda, Sheikh Osama, has once threatened you, and he carried out his threats.

"Today I say: Rejoice ... By Allah London shall be bombed."

Another poster on the forum responded: "Amen - we pray to Allah that the development of such operations would be under way." "Amen - O Allah make us witness this soon."

Al-Hazeen replied: "Victory is very close - but you are just rushing it!"