To the Italians et al: You Are Still Targets

[Annie]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&e=7&u=/nm/20050316/wl_nm/iraq_italy_dc

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s al Qaeda wing said on Wednesday Italian troops "humbled" by insurgent attacks would still be targeted despite Rome's plans to start pulling out from Iraq in September, according to an Internet statement.

"We tell those whose might was humbled in Iraq and we tell Italy, the worshipper of the cross, that we will continue to fire bullets at you," said al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq, led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

"The longer Italy stays in Iraq the greater will be its losses," the group's military leader said in a statement posted on Web sites used by Islamic militants. It could not be independently verified.

"Jihad (holy war) has started to bear fruit."

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, one of President Bush (news - web sites)'s staunchest allies, said Tuesday Rome would start to pull its troops out of Iraq in September.

Berlusconi said he was in talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) about a total exit strategy from Iraq, adding people in both countries wanted their troops to return home.

Insurgents blew up the headquarters of Italian forces in the southern city of Nassiriya in 2003 killing 19 Italians.

Despite strong opposition at home, Berlusconi sent some 3,000 troops to Iraq -- the fourth largest foreign contingent after U.S., British and South Korean forces.

Zarqawi's group has claimed Iraq's bloodiest suicide bombings and hostage beheadings in a Sunni-led insurgency against U.S.-led forces and the American-backed government.