[Washington, DC]  Swayed by U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's assertions that an attack on American soil might give Republicans a political advantage going into 2008, senior Al Qaeda leaders scuttle ongoing terror blueprints until after the presidential election.

"We could have ruined everything," said Sheik Abdu Bareni al Kharbom, top-level spokesman for the terror group, via cell phone.  "It's very disturbing."

On Thursday, Senator Clinton, D-NY, speaking to voters at a dinner party in Concord, New Hampshire, suggested that a new attack on the United States soil might help the GOP at the polls.

"It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself, 'What if? What if?' " said Clinton, "But, if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world."

Clinton went on to say that she would be the best candidate to deal with this situation should it occur.

While rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination have roundly criticized her for tying terrorism to internal U.S. politics, calling her remarks "tasteless" and "political calculation", Sheik al Kharbom appreciates what he calls, "the heads-up."

"Frankly, we don't fully understand the intricacies of American politics." he said.

"But given what has been said, you may consider this temporary cease-fire as our vote."

Hillary Rodham Clinton, an attorney and the wife of former President Bill Clinton, became the only first lady to gain an elected national office when she was voted in as Senator of New York in 2000.  She has led in most every major poll since decaring her candidacy for President of the United States in January of 2007.

Al Qaeda is an international organization of jihadists, mostly of the Sunni Muslim faith, who formed around Osama Bin Laden toward the end of the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. 

Since then, the group has grown in size, power, and infamy, having been linked to numerous terror attacks around the world including the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001, which killed over 3000, and the 1996 bombing of the Khobar military complex in Saudi Arabia killing 19.

Senator Clinton's representatives say that she stands behind her remarks, and that Clinton was simply "making clear that she has the strength and experience to keep the country safe."