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Quit Afghan mission or endure attack like 9/11, threat says
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=e9f20f44-ec19-470c-9ac3-6c79218d4d91&k=70612
Stewart Bell, National Post
Published: Saturday, October 28, 2006
OTTAWA - An al-Qaeda strategist has warned Canada to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan or face terrorist attacks similar to 9/11, Madrid and the London transit bombings.
The threat, attributed to a member of the al-Qaeda information and strategy committee, condemns Prime Minister Stephen Harper for refusing to pull out of Afghanistan.
It also refers to Canada's "fanatic adherence to Christianity" as well as its purported attempts to "damage the Muslims" and its support for the "Christian Crusade" against al-Qaeda.
"Despite the strong, increasing opposition to spread its forces in the fire of South Afghanistan, it seems that they will not learn the lesson easily," Hossam Abdul Raouf writes.
"They will either be forced to withdraw their forces or face an operation similar to New York, Madrid, London and their sisters, with the help of Allah."
The document, written in July, was obtained and translated by the SITE Institute, a U.S. non-profit group that monitors terrorist Web sites for clients, many of them in government.
It is the second reference in recent weeks to al-Qaeda singling out Canada because of its role in Afghanistan.
Last month, Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, referred to Canadian troops in Kandahar as "second-rate Crusaders."
The increasing focus on Canada in jihadist propaganda follows last June's arrest of 17 terrorist suspects in Toronto and comes as Canada is debating its role in NATO-led combat operations in southern Afghanistan.
The text of the threat suggests that al-Qaeda is aware of divisions within Canada over the mission, pointing to public opinion polls and opposition within Parliament.
It is also consistent with analysis by Canadian intelligence officials who report that al-Qaeda views Canada as a "priority target" because of the country's high-profile role in Afghanistan and its close relationship with the United States in the war on terrorism.
"Despite the differences between the Canadian foreign policy and its U.S. counterpart, and despite the hatred the Canadian people harbour towards the Americans -- their bad neighbours who cannot hold back their damage from them -- they agree with them regarding leading the Christian Crusade in Afghanistan and confronting al-Qaeda there," it says.
"They use the same excuses that are used by the British and others. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: 'The Canadians learned from the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. that a terrorist threat can enter into our private borders. The Afghani government wants us there, and we are fighting a truly abominable enemy. This is in our national interest. I believe that what we are doing is extraordinary. We will take a commanding role in the province of Kandahar.' "
The suspected "homegrown" Canadian extremists arrested by the RCMP in Toronto on June 2 were allegedly motivated partly by their anger over Afghanistan. Authorities claim they intended to take hostages on Parliament Hill and kill the Prime Minister unless he withdrew troops from Afghanistan and released all Muslims from Canadian prisons.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=e9f20f44-ec19-470c-9ac3-6c79218d4d91&k=70612
Stewart Bell, National Post
Published: Saturday, October 28, 2006
OTTAWA - An al-Qaeda strategist has warned Canada to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan or face terrorist attacks similar to 9/11, Madrid and the London transit bombings.
The threat, attributed to a member of the al-Qaeda information and strategy committee, condemns Prime Minister Stephen Harper for refusing to pull out of Afghanistan.
It also refers to Canada's "fanatic adherence to Christianity" as well as its purported attempts to "damage the Muslims" and its support for the "Christian Crusade" against al-Qaeda.
"Despite the strong, increasing opposition to spread its forces in the fire of South Afghanistan, it seems that they will not learn the lesson easily," Hossam Abdul Raouf writes.
"They will either be forced to withdraw their forces or face an operation similar to New York, Madrid, London and their sisters, with the help of Allah."
The document, written in July, was obtained and translated by the SITE Institute, a U.S. non-profit group that monitors terrorist Web sites for clients, many of them in government.
It is the second reference in recent weeks to al-Qaeda singling out Canada because of its role in Afghanistan.
Last month, Osama bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, referred to Canadian troops in Kandahar as "second-rate Crusaders."
The increasing focus on Canada in jihadist propaganda follows last June's arrest of 17 terrorist suspects in Toronto and comes as Canada is debating its role in NATO-led combat operations in southern Afghanistan.
The text of the threat suggests that al-Qaeda is aware of divisions within Canada over the mission, pointing to public opinion polls and opposition within Parliament.
It is also consistent with analysis by Canadian intelligence officials who report that al-Qaeda views Canada as a "priority target" because of the country's high-profile role in Afghanistan and its close relationship with the United States in the war on terrorism.
"Despite the differences between the Canadian foreign policy and its U.S. counterpart, and despite the hatred the Canadian people harbour towards the Americans -- their bad neighbours who cannot hold back their damage from them -- they agree with them regarding leading the Christian Crusade in Afghanistan and confronting al-Qaeda there," it says.
"They use the same excuses that are used by the British and others. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: 'The Canadians learned from the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. that a terrorist threat can enter into our private borders. The Afghani government wants us there, and we are fighting a truly abominable enemy. This is in our national interest. I believe that what we are doing is extraordinary. We will take a commanding role in the province of Kandahar.' "
The suspected "homegrown" Canadian extremists arrested by the RCMP in Toronto on June 2 were allegedly motivated partly by their anger over Afghanistan. Authorities claim they intended to take hostages on Parliament Hill and kill the Prime Minister unless he withdrew troops from Afghanistan and released all Muslims from Canadian prisons.
