Spain stands firm over fresh threat from Al-Qaeda

13 March 2007

VALENCIA – Spain vowed to stand firm on Tuesday after threats from Al-Qaeda over its deployment of troops in Afghanistan. 

The Spanish defence minister said the threat by Al Qaeda to attack Germany, Austria and Spain if they don’t withdraw their troops from Afghanistan is “one more of those threats … (which) we can never give in to.”

Jose Antonio Alonso was asked about the Internet-released videotape threatening the three countries during the presentation of the U.N. communications cent eto be located in the eastern Spanish town of Quart de Poblet, near Valencia.

The minister said that it was necessary to study the video, which has “all the elements of being one more of those threats” against countries that are “fighting for peace.”

He also said that “we have to always be on guard against international terrorism.”

“There have been several threats on the part of international terrorism over the past few years and this (video) has all the elements” of being one more such threat received by the different countries, he said.

Alonso said that “we can never give in to this pressure or threats suffered by several countries who are fighting for a more fair and more stable world.”

Al-Qaeda threatened Spain directly in a video which was issued on Monday.

A hooded man said the presence of Spanish troops in Afghanistan “exposes Spain again to threats” according to the video which was shown on a web page.

Germany and Austria were also threatened in the video, unless they withdraw their troops from Afghanistan.

The figure said: “The Spanish people have been tricked by a socialist government which withdrew troops from Iraq and sent 600 to Afghanistan.”

“Islamic nations are the same nation” – a reference of Spanish troops in Afghanistan as part of the peacekeeping force.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news