July 31, 2004

Third Terror Threat in Week Seen on Web

A third threat in a week against America's European allies appeared Friday on an Internet site known for extremist Muslim postings.

The statement claimed to have come from militants in Italy and, like a similar one Wednesday and another on Monday, was signed Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades. Friday's statement, however, dismissed the previous threats as fakes, even though all sounded the same anti-U.S. themes.

U.S. officials and some terrorism experts believe Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which claimed responsibility for the Madrid train bombings that killed about 191 people on March 11, lacks credibility and has only tenuous ties to al-Qaida. It has issued claims for events in which it almost certainly had no involvement, including blackouts in North America and Britain.
[Hmmm. The rash of these last summer was so strange!
Are they sure it wasn't the bad guys?--Jen]

"From here in Italy, and from Britain and Bulgaria, and all European countries, we call on all our people to mobilize and prepare to engage in the battle, a new type and style of battle. Prepare to shed blood, let us make it an endless bloody war," Friday's statement said.

The statement said European governments were at risk "so long as you are in the shadow of the vile government of (President) Bush."
[All these attacks!
Either we're winning the war or these guys are Dimocrats!--J.T.]

All this week's statements referred to an April 15 audiotape in which al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden said he was calling a truce for three months and urged European states to leave Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries within that period or risk a terror campaign. The statements noted the truce period has expired.

Apparently, the Enemy has singled out Italy's Silvio Berlusconi to be the first target, but I think he can live with the threat and may God continue to bless and protect him!
The implication, of course, behind these threats to Europe, is that once they've "taken care of" our allies with the dispatch of the Madrid bombings , they'll come after us again.
What else is new?
I hope Silvio yawned on TV and said, "This is how an Italian faces threats from thugs!"
We'll get through this summer's events like the Olympics, the GOP Convention and the election with God's Grace, but get through it we will and so will our friends and allies like Italy, Bulgaria and the U.K.!