Israel rocket attack: A culprit emerges

Al-Arabiya reports that the group "claims links to Al-Qaeda." Its name is certainly an homage to Osama bin Laden: Abdullah Azzam was bin Laden's mentor. But it's not clear, at least from today's reports, whether that claim is true.

Then again, maybe that's a meaningless question. The Guardian reported last week that Al-Qaeda is facing something of a "recruiting crisis."

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida is under heavy pressure in its strongholds in Pakistan's remote tribal areas and is finding it difficult to attract recruits or carry out spectacular operations in western countries, according to government and independent experts monitoring the organisation.

Intelligence officials told the paper that Al-Qaeda is down to a core leadership of maybe six or eight men. Even if the Guardian report is too optimistic, it's not like the Abdullah Azzam Brigades would get extensive logistical support from Al-Qaeda.

Increasingly, I think, claims of "affiliation" are more ideological than operational.

Anyway, some questions remain about this attack, like whether this group is really responsible (hard to verify these kinds of claims) and whether Hizballah gave the attack its blessing.