A little-known group led by a militant commander with links to the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the suicide car bombing of the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar, saying it was capable of carrying out an attack in the federal capital of Islamabad as well.

Amir Muawiya, claiming to be a spokesperson for the Abdullah Azzam Shaheed Brigade, telephoned reporters in the northwestern Kohat town on Wednesday to claim responsibility for Tuesday’s attack on the hotel and warned that the group would carry out more such bombings.

Asked for proof that his group had carried out the attack on the Pearl Continental, Muawiya said his organisation would be willing to explode a small bomb outside the BBC office in Islamabad to prove its power and capability.

Muawiya said the bombing was carried out in retaliation for operations by Pakistani armed forces “at the behest of the US” in Swat and Malakand division of the NWFP. He claimed “important people”, including foreigners, were killed in the hotel bombing

Muawiya also claimed responsibility for other recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. He claimed his group had carried out the attack on the police training centre at Manawan near Lahore and the bombing of NATO transport terminals on the outskirts of Peshawar.