Since the Germans won't fight...why stay? B
Video Threatens Germany Over Afghanistan Germany evaluates purported al-Qaida video featuring threat over Afghan mission The Associated Press http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=6674038 BERLIN German authorities on Sunday were evaluating a purported al-Qaida video in which a speaker appears to threaten Germany over its military presence in Afghanistan. The SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S.-based organization that monitors militant Web sites, said al-Qaida's media production house, Al-Sahab, released the message Saturday. The video, dated October 2008, features a man calling himself "Abu Talha the German," who speaks with his face covered by a black turban. Speaking in fluent though slightly accented German, he notes that Germany - which has more than 3,300 soldiers in Afghanistan - is the largest provider of troops there after the U.S. and Britain. "If the Germans ... gullibly and naively think that they can get away scot-free as the third-biggest troop provider, then German politicians are out of place in parliament," he says. The speaker does not offer a more specific threat, though he says at one point that "it has been my wish to blow myself up for Allah since 1993." A spokesman for Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, Christian Brockert, said the video was being evaluated by security authorities, but did not comment on its authenticity. The often rambling 30-minute message, subtitled in Arabic, is titled "the rescue package for Germany" - an apparent reference to a multibillion-euro government bank rescue package drawn up in October. "The financial crisis swept away the pride of the Germans," the speaker says, questioning whether the rescue package would help the economy recover. "If the people pull their soldiers out of Afghanistan, the government's expectations could perhaps be met." German troops serve mainly in Afghanistan's relatively peaceful north, though they still suffer from occasional bomb attacks. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright C 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures _____ <http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=225461> http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=225461 Al Qaeda issued an Internet threat against German soldiers at the weekend, citing their involvement in fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. "Your soldiers are safe nowhere," said a masked man dressed in a black turban in a video message posted on the Internet. The video, which appeared late on Saturday, was titled "The rescue package for Germany" and bore the logo of As-Sahab, which is al Qaeda's specialist media arm. Germany is part of NATO's peacekeeping force in Afghanistan and has a mandate to send 4,500 troops there. "If Germans ... naively believe they will get away with it, then the politicians are unfortunately out of their element," said the man. A sign behind his head identified him as "Abu Talha the German" and he spoke in German, with a slight foreign accent. Whoever tried to make a distinction between al Qaeda and the Taliban had not understood his enemy, he added. German security officials were evaluating the film, said the Interior Ministry. "His speech confirms once again the view of the security authorities that Germany is a target for Islamist terrorism," said the ministry. A suicide car bomb exploded near the German embassy in Kabul on Saturday, killing a U.S. soldier and four Afghan civilians. Taliban militants, who are fighting to overthrow the Western-backed Afghan government and drive out foreign groops, claimed responsibility for the blast. Responding to that attack, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany remained committed to its involvement in Afghanistan. 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