Another European Warning

[Annie]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040730/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_al_qaida_europe

CAIRO, Egypt - 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.

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

Not that we want to see France or Germany attacked, but do you think they would respond? Answer follows:

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040705092601.9zu336m8

Excerpt:

France could use its nuclear capability to defend its neighbours, French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said in an interview Monday, while also urging European Union states to increase military spending.

She said that rogue states "could one day point their missiles toward France and its neighbours. We could say to those countries: 'Watch out, if you try to carry out your threats we will destroy you before you know what's hit you.'"

"If Germany asked us for help, it is probable that European solidarity would come into play," she told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, and added: "For us, nuclear weapons are the ultimate protection against a threat from abroad."