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Al-Qaeda demands Italy withdraw troops from Iraq
A statement posted on an Islamist website purported to be from the Al-Qaeda terror network demands Italy withdraw its troops from Iraq, under threat of a series of car bomb attacks. "O Italian people, your government has participated in the war on Iraq and sent troops and arsenal to our country. We urge you for the last time to demand that it withdraw peacefully from Iraq," said the statement.Dated July 17, it was signed "Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade, Al-Qaeda". Its authenticity could not be verified. "If your government does not obey, the solution lies in successive car bomb" attacks, the statement said. A group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq - Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade, is holding a Filipino hostage and has threatened to behead him if Manila does not push forward by a month the withdrawal of its contingent in Iraq. It was not immediately clear if the same group issued Saturdayâs statement, posted on the website http://www.ansarnet.ws/vb. "We have sent messages in the past but the Italian government did not understand because it only understands the language of blood and jihad (holy war)," said the statement. The group also sent "a second message to the Italian people and government" telling them to "bear the consequences" of rejecting a peace offer from Osama bin Laden. An audiotaped statement issued April 15 by the terror chief gave European governments until July 15 to pull their troops out of Muslim countries. The ultimatum was later authenticated by the US Central Intelligence Agency. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-07-18 |
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