Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The al-Qaeda terrorist network said it will carry out an attack in Tokyo if Japan sends troops to join the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, Agence France-Presse said, citing a statement sent to an Arabic-language magazine.

``Our strikes will reach the heart of Tokyo,'' AFP said, citing an e-mailed statement sent by Abu Mohammed al-Ablaj to the London-based weekly magazine al-Majallah. ``If they want to destroy their economic power and be trampled under the feet of the combatants of Allah, let them come to Iraq.'' Al-Ablaj was identified as an al-Qaeda operative who is in regular contact with the magazine, AFP said.

Japan is considering sending 550 members of its Self-Defense Force to Iraq. The government said it may delay the deployment until next year after increasing attacks in Iraq, including last week's bombing at an Italian military base in the southern Iraqi town of Nasiriyah.

Al-Qaeda was responsible for the attack in Nasiriyah, al- Ablaj said in his statement to the magazine, according to AFP. The terrorist network said it was behind attacks on Saturday at two synagogues in Turkey that killed at least 23 people, AFP said, citing a statement sent to the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi.

(Agence France-Presse 11-17)

See {WAFP <GO>} for AFP's Web site

Last Updated: November 16, 2003 17:31 EST