Qaeda vows violence campaign in North Africa-Web

DUBAI, July 23 (Reuters) Al Qaeda's North Africa wing today said it was planning a violent campaign against ''infidels'' and government forces in the region and urged Muslims to stay away from possible targets.

''We call on all our Muslim brothers to stay away from the centres and gathering (points) of infidels and apostates,'' the Al Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb said in a statement posted on the Internet.

''The mujahideen are set to attack their quarters, centres and barracks with all means of detonation, bombing and demolition possible,'' it added.

The authenticity of the statement could not be verified, but it was posted on a Web site used by Islamist militant groups including al Qaeda and key Iraqi insurgent factions.

The Algerian-based group claimed responsibility for triple suicide bombings in Algiers on April 11 that killed 33 people.

It also claimed responsibility for a July 11 suicide truck bombing east of the Algerian capital that killed eight soldiers.

''The mujahideen have, with God's help, regrouped, organised their ranks and refined their plans and they are with God's will planning many surprises for the enemies of God at the Islamic Maghreb countries,'' it said.

The group, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), warned in May it would carry out more suicide bombings and urged Muslims to join its ranks as suicide bombers.

The attacks have deepened fears of a broad upsurge in violence in North Africa after the group set a goal of linking up with similar Islamists in the region and using it as a base for bombings against European targets.

The GSPC was involved in the conflict that broke out in Algeria in 1992 after military-backed authorities scrapped parliamentary elections that an Islamist party was set to win. Up to 200,000 people were killed.

REUTERS SY BD2110