PURPORTED AL QAEDA LETTER CALLS TRUCE IN SPAIN! (BLACKMAIL ALERT!)

Yahoooo via Reuters ^ | 3/17/04

[areafiftyone]

CAIRO (Reuters) - A group claiming to have links with al Qaeda said Wednesday it was calling a truce in its Spanish operations to see if the new government would withdraw its troops from Iraq (news - web sites), a pan-Arab newspaper said.

In a statement sent Wednesday to the Arabic language daily al-Hayat, the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which claimed responsibility for the Madrid bombings that killed 201 people, also urged its European units to stop all operations.

"Because of this decision, the leadership has decided to stop all operations within the Spanish territories... until we know the intentions of the new government that has promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq," the statement said.

"And we repeat this to all the brigades present in European lands: Stop all operations."

In a shock election result just days after the Madrid attacks, Spain elected the Socialist party, which has since said it will probably withdraw its troops from Iraq.

The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades have previously claimed responsibility for bombings in Turkey and Iraq.

"The Spanish people... chose peace by choosing the party that was against the alliance with America," the statement said. The newspaper planned to publish it Thursday.

Outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Josa Maria Aznar was a staunch ally of the United States in the Iraq war, although a majority of the Spanish people were opposed to sending Spanish troops there.

"Praise be to God who gave us this victory in the conquest of Madrid... where one of the pillars of the axis of Crusader evil was destroyed," the statement said, affirming its earlier claim for the Madrid attacks.

A U.S. official in Washington has previously said the group's link with al Qaeda is unclear.

[NativeNewYorker]

The new Spainsh PM is on the record as endorsing Kerry. So it's clear that the guy who AQ wanted, wants Kerry.

[zarf]

This reminds me of Jurrasic Park; an atavistic burlesque, if you will.......

[cripplecreek]

This is potentially explosive for the new govt.

[Clara Lou]

"We of al Qaeda just want to make sure that you have submitted to full and complete capitulation. If so wave a white flag and say ribbet. like a good Frog." [Spain and Zapatero better make sure they think this over very carefully. The whole world is watching!!!]

[shadowman99]

Spain is going to show us how to boil a frog.

[hang 'em]

Jesus Christ, the Spaniards once had the balls to conquer the entire Aztec, Maya and Inca empires. Not to mention kicking the asslamics^TM out of their homeland. Hey Spain, grow a pair already.

[Rutles4Ever]

This truly bodes ill for Europe...

[swarthyguy]

If this doesn't cause the Spanish military to stand up and becounted, it'll be a tragedy if Spain pulls troops out by the end of june.

By then, it'll be moot, as there'll be a UNIraqiNato force in the cities. That won't matter to the jihad, there'll always be something else territorially and the incredible rage and anger at modernity.

But, of course, now that the principle of appeasement is percieved to be in the jihadis favor, expect a surge of terror.

Looks like that Fusion guy was right.

[GraniteStateConservative]

It would deflate the arguments by Cheney, today, though, if they stuck with the cease-fire.

[MrB]

Praise be to God who gave us this victory in the conquest of Madrid

I defy anyone to say that the Spanish election wasn't a victory for Al Qaeda.

[jolie560]

..."...this victory in the conquest of Madrid..."...

AQ has already taken credit for their victories in "The Battle of New York", and in "The Battle of Washington D.C."

[RonHolzwarth]

That blast in Spain did more for the reelection of Bush than anything else the Arabs could have done, right?

[OldFriend]

This puts the glorious socialist in a terrible position.

[Alouette]

[AntiGuv]

This is potentially explosive for the new govt.

Why so? The Spaniards voted for appeasement. Why should they be upset so long as it appears to work?

[fella]

What a nice way to throw dung in the face of the spainards. Watch the libel-eral media dis this story.

[Saundra Duffy]

This is weird - a whole country shaking in their boots and letting themselves be humiliated in front of the whole world. Makes me glad I'm an American.

[big gray tabby]

Kneel and kiss the scimitar, Pedro.

[CGVet58]

one word - halabiya