Posted on 05/30/2005 8:39:35 AM PDT by Cap Huff
Dubai, 30 May (AKI) - The Abu Hafs al-Misri Brigades have called their 'sleeping' European cells to action with a message published on some of the most important Islamist internet forums saying: "We ask all waiting mujahideen, wherever they are, to carry out the planned attack." The message follows months of silence from the group which claimed responsibility for the Madrid train bombings on March 11 last year and threatened Italy last summer.
This time, part of the message is addressed directly to the European cells. The first part of the 'Message to the mujahideen in Europe', however, is directed at the Iraqi groups and reads: "We of the Abu Hafs al-Misri Brigades call on all our cells in Iraq to close ranks and start the bloody war against the enemies of Islam. We send out a message to America and its allies, wherever they are, to state that we will not let the sacrilege of the Koran pass unnoticed and there all be a reply in the future."
The second part of the message refers to the supposed attack that sleeping cells should carry out in Europe. "The truth about the infidel crusade has become obvious," the document says, calling on the cells to carry out the planned attack "after the infidels declared war on Islam, desecrating the noble Book that is the Holy Koran. But we also send a message to all those locked up in the prisons of the tyrants," it continues, "from Fes to Guantanamo: the dawn is near and so too is victory."
The message clearly states that it is the alleged desecration of the Koran by guards in the US-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba that should spur the dorment European cells to action.
In the last few weeks thousands of Muslims have taken to the streets in Pakistani, Palestinian, Egyptian, Iraqi and Afghan cities to protest against the desecration reported, and later retracted, by Newsweek magazine.
The authenticity of the latest internet statement, which is dated May 29, has not been verified, but it was published on the forums normally used for messages from the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, who is believed to have been injured. The message has prompted heated debate on some fundamentalist websites, among those who believe it is authentic and those who dismiss it as a fake.
(Ham/Aki)
It is even more pronounced here in Europe. It has been reported that in The Netherlands, the most popular name for baby boys born in the cities is Mohammed.
I'd pay a good chunk of taxes to support that!
This may all be so much bluff and bluster, or it could be tragically serious. Remember that about a year ago AQ offered some European countries a "truce." The "window of opportunity" was supposed to be something like 3 months, then anything goes. All the countries issued statements telling AQ to go take a hike. So far, nothing has happened that would be connected to that ultimatum. Believe me, though, I am not complacent about the potential threat.
Forgot about that.
Yes, just to show you that their PR dept is working. They are just dreaming ;-)
Maybe it is a bit like President Reagan's "the bombing starts in 5 minutes" quip. Just testing to see whether people are listening.
Nevertheless, I regularly visit two major European cities, which I believe have inherent vulnerabilities, and I dare not fail to take these things seriously (within sane limits of course.)
Meanwhile, Muslim intellectuals argue against bigotry and for tolerance
Read this fascinating article about the growth of civil societies across the region and the increase in numbers and activity of local non-government groups working towards political and economic liberalisation of the Middle East. It seems that the common wisdom bigotry of low expectations towards the region is getting countered by numbers of individuals and groups which are answering President Bush's call for more open, free and democratic Middle East.
Meanwhile, Muslim intellectuals argue against bigotry and for tolerance:
"Over 2,500 Muslim intellectuals from 23 countries have signed a petition to the United Nations calling for an international treaty to ban the use of religion for incitement to violence. It also calls on the Security Council to set up a tribunal to try 'the theologians of terror'...
" 'There are individuals in the Muslim world who pose as clerics and issue death sentences against those they disagree with,' says Shakir Al-Nablusi, a Jordanian academic and one of the signatories. 'These individuals give Islam a bad name and foster hatred among civilizations.'
"Nablusi said hundreds of Arab writers and academics were collecting more signatures and hope to have 'tens of thousands' by next month. Among those collecting signatures are Jawad Hashem, a former Iraqi minister of planning, and Alafif Al-Akdhar, a leading Tunisian writer and academic. Most of the signatories are from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states plus Iraq, Jordan and Palestine.
"The signatories describe those who use religion for inciting violence as 'the sheikhs of death.' Among those mentioned by name is Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian preacher working in Qatar. The signatories accuse him of 'providing a religious cover for terrorism'."
Uh oh.
Well I hope europe has some good intel going ... I wonder if this has anything to do with the zarqawi injured/dead deal. Maybe going out with a bang. Or a power move by a new leader.... or or or...
Good information, thanks for posting it.
My sense is that most of the European countries have good intel and work pretty hard at rooting out the bad guys. Too bad their courts (rather like our own) are prone to letting them back on the street.
I've got to hope that the European counter-terrorist units are effective --- I've got to live here for a while . . .
But you're right they seem to get them but then maybe give 'em 15 months in jail.
"YOUR EFFORTS ARE FUTILE"
PU$$IES
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