Al-Qa'ida preparing for attack, says Interpol

Al-Qa'ida may be preparing simultaneous attacks in several countries including the United States, the head of Interpol said yesterday.

Ronald Noble, the secretary general of the international police co-ordinating body, told the Paris daily Le Figaro that recent intelligence suggested Osama bin Laden's network was preparing itself for attacks. Mr Noble also said he thought the Saudi dissident suspected of masterminding the 11 September attacks was alive.

"Despite intensive searches, we have not managed to locate him. But until someone can prove to me the contrary, I consider Osama bin Laden a fugitive who is alive," he said.

Mr Noble added: "Something worrying is going on. All intelligence experts are agreed that al-Qa'ida is preparing a major terrorist operation, simultaneous attacks that would not target the United States alone but several countries at the same time.Sleeping cells remain in place, unknown to the police, but ready to act from one day to another."

Mr Noble said efforts to choke off the flow of money to militant groups had made little difference to al-Qa'ida. "Osama bin Laden is a multimillionaire. He was hugely rich before 11 September and he still is today," he said, guessing his fortune to be worth between $280m (£176m) and $300m.