Posted on 03/10/2008 7:03:44 PM PDT by Nachum
(IsraelNN.com) Members of the North African branch of the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda announced Monday that they are holding two Austrian tourists hostage "in retribution" for what they claim is Western support for Israeli counter-terrorism operations. Al-Qaeda threatened more such kidnappings. AQIM will issue their demands for release of the two Austrians soon, Abu Muhammad said.
In an audio tape aired by the Gulf-based Al-Jazeera satellite network, a man who claimed to represent Al-Qaeda in Islamic North Africa (AQIM), Salah Abu Mohammad, identified the two Austrians and said they were in good condition. The alleged hostages, a man and a woman who had been touring southern Tunisia, were reported as missing in mid-February, according to Austrian officials.
"We tell Western tourists that, while they come into Tunisia seeking joy, our brothers are being slain in Gaza by the Jews with the collaboration of the Western states," Abu Mohammad said. "The jihadists have previously warned and alerted [Westerners] that the apostate Tunisian state cannot and will not be able to protect you, and the hands of the jihadists can reach you wherever you are on Tunisian soil."
AQIM will issue their demands for release of the two Austrians soon, Abu Muhammad said. He further warned Austria not to take any action in Algeria, AQIM's suspected home base of operations. Tunisian authorities, meanwhile, doubt that the hostages are still in their country.
AQIM has threatened Austrian targets in the past and it has a violent history of deadly attacks throughout North Africa. Most recently, AQIM claimed responsibility for a suicide truck bombing of an Algerian police station on January 29, 2008, that killed three people, and for a shooting three days later at the Israeli embassy and an adjacent bar frequented by Westerners in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Several people were wounded in the latter attack. AQIM called the Algeria bombing the latest in a long campaign and threatened that the cries of "Americans and all the infidels" will yet be heard.
Al-Qaeda Focusing More on Israel In addition, Al-Qaeda's leaders have recently issued more pointed and specific threats against Israel and Israeli interests. A leader of AQIM, Abu Musab Abd Al-Wadud, issued a threat earlier this year against those North African and other Middle Eastern nations that have "diplomatic and economic ties with Hebraic nations." The kingdom of Morocco was specifically cited as such a nation. Al-Wadud also issued a generalized threat against Western assets anywhere in North Africa.
There have also been increasing reports of an Al-Qaeda presence in the Palestinian Authority. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas confirmed in late February that Al-Qaeda terrorists crossed the Egyptian-Gaza border when Gaza terrorists blew up the barrier separating the two sides. As far back as 2006 Abbas Al-Qaeda had set up shop in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Dominique Thomas, a specialist on radical Islam at the School of Higher Studies in Social Sciences in Paris, told the South African Independent, "When the border was opened between Gaza and Egypt, I saw calls on forums for foreign fighters to come and infiltrate the Gaza Strip to lead the battle against Israel."
nice. Let’s give them another islamic state asap.
Apostate blah infidels blah blah derka derka mohammed jihad. I’m so sick of hearing their broken record.
Prayers for the safe return of the kidnapped tourists.
BLOODY SAVAGES!
):^(
Rather clever tactic. Islaamists will eventually succeed in turning most Western countries against Israel. Israel better get ready.
No, lets slaughter them in sufficient numbers to break their will, which is the only way to win an armed conflict.
People are stupid....
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Hmmm...Autrian tourists??
Is it possible that anti-Israel “Austrian tourists” joined with AQ sympathizeres to create this situation?
I don’t wish the innocent any ill, but I can’t help but wonder.
Probably just a fundraiser for all involved.
Given them some land ASAP. They promise to stop, again.
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