Translation of La Vanguardia's report
More detailed than what we received in our wires...the 3rd and 4th paragraph especially disturbing...I've tried to translate it to catch the spirit of the Spanish language and at times may seem awkward reading...
Zeta
LVD - 11/03/2004 - 20.29 horas
Actualizada: 11/03/2004 23.59 horas
Madrid / El Cairo. (Agencias.)- The terrorist network, Al Qaeda has submitted a letter distributed to a daily arabic newspaper titled "Al-Quds-al Arabi" admitting to the authorization of the the offensive acts commited today in Madrid and said that they are a "settling of past dues" with Spain. Our government(Spain) is analyizing this letter with extreme caution.
"It's part of settling of old debts with Spain, the crusader and ally of the US in it's war against Islam," according to the text of the letter that the arabic TV station "Al Jazeera broadcasted in Cairo.
In the text, Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri designate themselves as working in the name of Al Qaeda, affirm that "the squad of death" that committed the offensive acts in the capital of Spain has penetrated "one of the pillars of the crusades, Spain.
This message asks President Aznar: "Aznar, where is America? who will protect you from us? Great Britain, Japan, Italy or others?" "When we attacked the Italian troops in Nasiriya and we sent you an ultimatum that you withdraw from the anti-islamic alliance, you did not understand the message."
Now we have made it clear and hope that this time you get it, warned the Al Qaeda group.
We, the Brigades of Abu Hafs al-Masri do not feel grief or sorrow for the civilians, adds the message, referring to the victims of the Madrid offensive. The letter also adds, "If it's ok for you all to kill our children, women, elders and young adults in Afganistan, Iraq, Palestine and Kashmir, why should we be prohibited from killing your people.?"
In the same letter, they announced their preparation of a new attack to the United States. "it's now in it's final stage and 90% ready. Soon the Squad of Smoke and Death will rise up and you'll see dead people for miles."
Additionally,we want to tell muslims all over the world that the fierce "Winds of the Black Death" mission is in it's final phase and 90% complete," They warned that no muslim should be close to or friendly with military and civil institutions of the U.S, and it's allies.
"Warning to other nations: do not place yourselves physically close to civil and military institutions of the U.S.. The communication was sent by email to the daily newspaper, edited in London where on other occassions has received messages from this same brigade proclaiming the authorization of other offensives.
The offensives committed today in the capital of Spain caused at least 192 deaths and 1,430 wounded, according to the Spanish authorities
On October 18, 2003, Osama Bin Laden, considered the leader of Al Qaeda, had sent a tape recording to Al Jazeera TV news station network threatening various countries that had been supporting the U.S. in the war against Iraq., Spain was among those listed.
The spokesperson for the ministry of labor, Eduardo Zaplana,
has said tonight on Spanish TV that the offensives committed are the work of ETA and dismissed reports of a suicide terrorist could have been in one of the train cars.
"Everything we know tells us that ETA authorized this." said the minister, citing that this terrorist organization has intended this on other occassions, like the attempt that was squelched last week by the siezure of a van full of explosives in Cuenca."
In addition, Zaplana solidified his hypothesis of ETA's involvement by the confirmation that the type of explosives used in today's event and the fact that those arrested in Cuenca had a map of the Henares corridor(train routes targeted today).
The minister indicated that new information from the Minister of the Interior, Angel Acebes, about different avenues of investigation that point to radical islamic terrorism, will be responded to with complete transperancy.
When asked about the information released tonight that perhaps a suicide bomber was on one of the trains, he denied it, categorically, as extreme and assured that the Police has verified this.
He also said that Aznar had known about the Al Qaeda group letter earlier today but felt complete caution was undertaken because of the nature of this correspondence, that it was analyzed for it's authenticity and truth.
Moments earlier, Acebes informed us that although he maintaineed that ETA would be the first priority in investigations, no hypthothesis would be discarded since a recorded tape that contained verses of the Koran in Arabic was found in a stolen vehicle in which 7 bombs were also found. The car was stolen on February 28th. |
