Al-Qa'ida strikes on Europe set to spread

The Australian ^ | Patrick Walters and Abraham Rabinovich

[jmc1969]

AS Abu Musab al-Zarqawi continues to wreak havoc in Iraq with his international band of jihadists, European governments are increasingly worried about his ability to inspire and organise terrorist attacks in western Europe.

Counter-terrorism experts meeting in Israel this week say the war in Iraq has given new impetus to Zarqawi's growing al-Qa'ida network in Europe.

The EU's counter-terrorism co-ordinator, Gijs de Vries, said: "The trend is clear. As was already apparent in the Madrid attack and the killing of the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, Europe has become both a target and a source of terrorism perpetrated in the name of Islam. No longer is Europe only a base of support for attacks carried out elsewhere in the world.

"European societies have become an integral part of Dar al-Harb -- the domain of war," he told an international conference on terrorism in Herzliya.

"What Europe is confronted with today is a global insurgency, based on extremist interpretations of Islam, and perpetrated by internationally operating terrorist groups, as well as by individuals and loose networks acting in the spirit of jihadist ideology."

Germany's director of intelligence co-ordination, Ernst Uhrlau, said the Zarqawi network had taken the place of al-Qa'ida as the avant-garde of Islamist terrorism. He told the conference the war in Iraq had allowed the Jordanian militant to establish an international network unlike anything European governments had encountered in decades of fighting terrorism.

"It is looser than al-Qa'ida, more diffuse and well-connected to Iraqi society, where it seems to co-operate with former regime elements on a wide scale," Mr Uhrlau said.

[cripplecreek]

As weak and jello-like the euros are, even they will only tolerate so much.

[ml1954]

Germany's director of intelligence co-ordination, Ernst Uhrlau, said the Zarqawi network had taken the place of al-Qa'ida as the avant-garde of Islamist terrorism. He told the conference the war in Iraq had allowed the Jordanian militant to establish an international network unlike anything European governments had encountered in decades of fighting terrorism.

One day a relative unknown and just a year or two later the head of an 'international network unlike anything European governments had encountered in decades of fighting terrorism'. And after Europe mostly opted out of the fight in Iraq. How did that happen? /sarcasm

[Just Lori]

These terrorists expect the world to do what? Get on our knees and say "whatever you say, Mr. Terrorist"? Do they really think that's going to happen?

[MD_Willington_1976]

plenty of quality firearms built in Europe still...

The CZ P01 is NATO approved IIRC, time to give it a field trial...

[mmercier]

>> Al-Qa'ida strikes on Europe set to spread

One can only hope.

[citizencon]

Europe has wasted valuable time opposing the US in the war in Iraq and ignoring the threat of Islamofascism. In that time, Al Qaeda has gained foothold strategically throughout Europe. This time around, let's hope the Europeans can ably defend themsleves.

[misterrob]

sorry but that's BS man. They like to kill civilians and if a few kids get it then all the better.

[varyouga]

These terrorists expect the world to do what? Get on our knees and say "whatever you say, Mr. Terrorist"? Do they really think that's going to happen?

Thanks to weasels like this, YES!

I didn't post the one with Chirac on his knees with Saddam since it's too X rated for FR. I think you guys can figure it out.

[johnnyBbad]

These terrorists expect the world to do what? Get on our knees and say "whatever you say, Mr. Terrorist"? Do they really think that's going to happen?

Put yourself in the terrorists' shoes. Would you be scared of today's Europe?

[iThinkBig]

"The EU's counter-terrorism co-ordinator, Gijs de Vries, said: "The trend is clear. As was already apparent in the Madrid attack and the killing of the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, Europe has become both a target and a source of terrorism perpetrated in the name of Islam. No longer is Europe only a base of support for attacks carried out elsewhere in the world.

"European societies have become an integral part of Dar al-Harb -- the domain of war," he told an international conference on terrorism in Herzliya."

Stop opposing us EU at the UN, because your socialistic and greedy about oil and start kicking in like men on the ground where the terrorists ARE.

[iThinkBig]

"Europe has wasted valuable time opposing the US in the war in Iraq and ignoring the threat of Islamofascism. In that time, Al Qaeda has gained foothold strategically throughout Europe. This time around, let's hope the Europeans can ably defend themsleves."

Nah, we are already doing the dirty work for them.

[ladyinred]

And most of them won't support our war on terror. Perhaps they will see the light if these things continue.

[Westbrook]

He told the conference the war in Iraq had allowed the Jordanian militant to establish an international network unlike anything European governments had encountered in decades of fighting terrorism.

Just another weasel-way to say, "IT'S BUSH'S FAULT!"

[M. Espinola]

"Al-Qa'ida strikes on Europe set to spread"

The Islamic terrorist will use the Balkans (Bosnia) as a staging area to launch attacks on E.U. nations. After all the modern jihadic movement began there in 1943.

[Nateman]

You mean the European strategy of kissing all 4 cheeks is not working? Perhaps they will try kissing the in-between before they figure out what they must do.