MIDDLE EAST: This is an extract from the statement yesterday, purportedly from al-Qaeda-linked group Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, in which it vowed to renew attacks on Europe once Osama bin Laden's three-month so-called truce ends on July 15th.
The statement, dated July 1st and written in the form of bullet points, was provided by London-based al-Hayat newspaper, which obtained it by email.
"Our strategies in the coming stage: 1 - Widen the circle of conflict by spreading operations throughout the world. Dragging America into a third quagmire after Iraq and Afghanistan, and let it be Yemen, God willing. We tell the brigade of Abu Ali al-Harthi: The leadership decided that Yemen will be the third quagmire for the tyrant of the age America, and to discipline the apostate, agent government which is only second to that of [Pakistani President Pervez] Musharraf.
2 - Shake investor confidence in the American economy.
3 - Uncover the Crusader-Jewish plot.
4 - Weaken and disperse the enemy. After this comes the awaited attack which will break the will of the US administration and leave its agents open for us to settle accounts with them. Then the convoy will head for Jerusalem, God willing."
The statement then urged Muslims to be "patient and faithful".
"To our prisoners: We have not and will not forget you. We will not rest until you are free, God willing, and the enemy will pay dearly until you return to us. Every single Muslim should help to free you, and the best way to do that is to kidnap as many of the enemy as possible, everywhere. Our demands to the Crusaders: These operations will not stop until Bush, his gang and his Arab, Jewish and foreign agents review their policies towards Islam and Muslims as follows: 1 - Free our prisoners in American jails, especially those in Guantanamo and Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, and those in the jails of the Arab, Jewish and foreign servants of America.
2 - End the war against Islam and Muslims around the world which is being waged under the name of the war on terror.
3 - Cleanse Muslim land, including Jerusalem and Kashmir, from the stain of Jews, Americans and Hindus.
4 - America and its allies should stop interfering in the political, economic, social and cultural affairs of Muslims, and should not plot against the establishment of an Islamic state.
5 - The Crusader West should not interfere between Muslims and their apostate rulers. A warning: 1 - To the European people: You only have a few more days to accept bin Laden's truce or you will only have yourselves to blame.
2- Muslims who live in the West should depart to Muslim states if they can. Those who cannot should take precautions and live in Muslim areas, have enough food to last a month, find ways to protect themselves and their families, leave enough money in the house to last one month or longer and to pray a lot and put their fate in God's hands.
3 - Those involved in a dialogue of civilisations: The race now is between you, time and European governments which refused to stop their attacks against Muslims. So do not blame us for what will happen, and we apologise to you in advance if you are among those killed."
The statement also warned Mr Bush that "black days are not over yet". "Remember the tears you shed in September, for what is coming will make you weep blood, God willing. The Americans, Jews and the crusader West are our enemies and our duty is to kill them wherever they may be. Arabs and Muslims who support them share their crimes and should be killed because they are apostates."