03 November 2004	Wednesday	19 Ramazan 1425

RIYADH, Nov 2: The Saudi government says it has crushed Al Qaeda in a sweeping security clampdown while the terror network countered that it is still strong in the kingdom amid reports about the group's new regional head, Saud bin Hamoud Al Otaibi.

The terror network's online magazine, Sawt Al Jihad, urged members to "enlist" in the campaign to rid the country of what it termed "infidels" and topple the royal family.

Officials said that they had captured or killed 17 people on a list of 26 most wanted militants, including the group's leader Abdulaziz Al Muqrin, who was killed in June.

Al Muqrin was reportedly succeeded by Saleh Al Oufi, whom analysts said was killed some time ago and replaced by Al Otaibi.

The website quoted a 29-year-old fugitive, Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Yazji, as saying that the terror network was more determined to continue "our holy war" and vowed to "expel the crusaders."

He cautioned royal troops of "divine" retribution if "you stand in the way of the mujahideen."

In a separate audio message, the new Al Qaeda chief in Saudi Arabia has denied the government claims that militants were forcibly "enlisting" youths and said no one was being compelled to join them.

Al Oteibi, who was tipped as the new chief of "Al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula", also signed the editorial of the latest issue of the group's online magazine but did not identify himself as its leader.

But the Washington-based Saudi Institute said that Al Otaibi, 33, had become Al Qaeda's new chief in the kingdom, saying it confirmed its earlier assertion that Saleh Al Oufi had been killed.