New Delhi: In a sensational report, an American web daily has claimed that Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida has formed the "first terrorist naval force" and positioned 15 ships in the Indian ocean or the Pacific, even as the US State Department issued a warning about threats to its maritime interests and Philippines government raised the alert levels at all its ports.

Quoting intelligence reports, the 'World Net Daily' said al-Qaida "has purchased at least 15 ships in the last two years creating, perhaps, the first terrorist naval force". It said the Lloyds of London has reportedly helped Britain's MI6 and US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to "trace the sales made through a Greek shipping agent suspected of having direct contacts with Laden".

The ships, it said, were "capable of carrying cargo of lethal chemicals, a 'dirty bomb' or even a nuclear weapon" and could hit civilian ports on a suicide mission.

"The freighters are believed to be somewhere in the Indian or Pacific oceans. When the ships left their home ports in the Horn of Africa weeks ago, some where destined for ports in Asia," the web daily reported.

Meanwhile, US State Department issued a warning late last week "to remind US citizens of the continuing threat that they may be a target of terrorist actions, even after the anniversary date of the September 11 attacks and to add the potential for threats to maritime interests".

In a related report, Philipino agency Inquirer News Service said the country's Ports Authority has raised the alert level at all ports in Mindanao due to an intelligence report indicating an alleged plot to bomb Manila-bound ships.

PTI