Japanese tanker blast in Gulf was militant attack

A Japanese oil tanker damaged in July near the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane was attacked by an al-Qaeda linked group that could carry out more such attacks in the area, according to the U.S. Department of Transport.

The crew of the M. Star reported an explosion shortly after midnight on July 28 that injured one seaman but caused no oil spill or disruption to shipping in the strategic waterway.

A militant group called Abdullah Azzam Brigades said that a suicide bomber belonging to it had attacked the tanker. The incident sparked theories ranging from a freak wave to a collision with a U.S. nuclear submarine.

"Government and industry sources can confirm that the claim by the Abdullah Azzam brigades ... is valid," the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration said in an advisory to mariners dated Nov. 19.

"The group remains active and can conduct further attacks on vessels in areas in the Strait of Hormuz, southern Arabian Gulf, and western Gulf of Oman," the advisory said.

Ships in these waters should "exercise increased vigilance and caution" particularly during the night and should keep a special eye on activities of smaller vessels, it said.

Bordered by Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, the busy Strait, the gateway to the Gulf which handles 40 percent of the world's seaborne oil, is guarded by U.S. and other warships.

Analysts cast doubt on Abdullah Azzam Brigades' claim of responsibility, saying it had a history of taking responsibility for attacks also claimed by other organisations.

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