The government claims recent statements posted on Arab-language websites threatening terrorist attacks against South Korea are the deeds of an individual not affiliated with a terrorist group.

A government official said Wednesday that analysis of two threatening statements posted online this month had determined that they were likely written by the same person with anti-American sentiment and not by a member of an organization capable of staging terrorist attacks.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that a statement, addressed to "the South Korean people" and posted on an Islamic website, threatened to engulf Seoul in flames if South Korea did not pull out its troops from the northern Iraqi region of Irbil within seven days. AP did not provide details on the address of the website.

Earlier on October 10th, an Islamic group asserting to be part of a Northeast Asian network of al-Qaeda had warned on another Arab-language website that South Korean troops in Iraq and facilities in Korea would come under attack if Seoul did not withdraw its troops from Iraq within 14 days.