A group linked with the al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for Friday's assassination attempt on Pakistan's finance minister, local media reported Sunday.

The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted Sheikh Rashid, the country's information minister, as saying that the group, calling itself Islambouli Brigades of al-Qaida, made the claim Saturday on a website from Egypt.

The terror group also warned that it would launch more bloody attacks against "pro-US officials" in future.

Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, the would-be prime minister as well, narrowly escaped from an alleged suicide bombing attack Friday, during which at least nine people including the attacker were killed and scores of others injured.

The identity of the dead attacker has not been established and a number of suspects have been taken into custody.

(Xinhua News Agency, August 2, 2004)