"Germany's participation in the U.S. war on Islam and Muslims will lead
only to endangering Germany itself," the statement said.
Al Qaida and Taliban plan an offensive against the NATO force in
Afghanistan over the next few weeks, U.S. officials said. They said the
campaign would seek to increase casualties and pressure Western partners of
Washington to withdraw their military contingents from Afghanistan.
The statement by the so-called Voice of the Caliphate cited Germany's
deployment of 2,750 troops to fight Al Qaida and Taliban in Afghanistan. The
video said Germany's command of NATO forces in Afghanistan was designed to
help the U.S. war against Al Qaida.
"In standing by the United States, you have provoked those whom you call
terrorists to target you," a masked announcer said.
[On Monday, a suicide bomber attacked an Internet cafe in the Moroccan
city of Casablanca. Officials said the bomber detonated his concealed
explosive belt after he was stopped by cafe owners from searching Al
Qaida-aligned websites. At least one person, the bomber, was killed.]
The video was issued on the third anniversary of the Al Qaida bombings
of commuter trains in Madrid. In 2004, at least 191 people were killed in a
series of strikes in the Spanish capital.
Western intelligence agencies believe that Al Qaida has a huge support
network in EU states, particularly France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The
network was said to include a growing number of Christian converts to Islam.
The statement also threatened Austria with Al Qaida strikes. The warning
against Austria, another participant in the Western coalition in
Afghanistan, was similar to that used against Germany.
"Austria was and still is one of the safest countries in the world," the
statement said. "But if Austria joins the list of countries targeted by the
holy warriors, the situation will change."
Western intelligence analysts said Al Qaida and Taliban have increased
their strength in Afghanistan and Pakistan over the last year. They said Al
Qaida plans to use these two countries to stage attacks against the West in
2007.
In another video, Al Qaida's No. 2 Ayman Zawahri again criticized the
ruling Palestinian movement Hamas for agreeing to a Saudi-arranged ceasefire
with Fatah. Zawahiri said Hamas has capitulated to Israel and the United
States.
"The leadership of Hamas surrendered to the Jews most of Palestine,"
Zawahiri said. "They sold all that so they are allowed to keep a third of
the government and what a government -- a laughable government."