- Any statement from a shadowy group claiming responsibility for the bombings should be viewed with skepticism. How difficult is it for anyone (not the actual perpetrators) to go to an Internet cafe anywhere in the world, log in to the discussion board in question using a made-up handle, and post a statement?
- Reading too much into the nuances of the statement and speculating on the culprits' identities based on the usage of certain words and phrases (no disrespect to Juan Cole) is also not very fruitful, IMHO. People who are smart enough to plan and execute such a sophisticated operation are also smart enough to couch the statement with red herrings.
It is for these reasons that such terrorist attacks usually don't lead to any convictions; while such speculation and talking points are enough to paint certain groups as the culprits in the public's consciousness, they will not hold water in a court of law (compound this with the prosecutors' lack of willingness to share evidence in an open court citing national security and you have a no-win situation).
