Bin Laden’s Threat and the New Jihadist Message for Europe

Waled Phares looks into the influence and potential operations of al Qaeda in Europe. As he puts it: "What I saw in the al Qaeda message and the al Jazeera debate was clear: The Salafist movement worldwide was “talking” to the Europeans and the Euro-Jihadis. It was threatening Governments to retreat from the confrontation on the one hand and unleashing the pools of indoctrinated Jihadis across the continent to “engage” in violence.

The near future will tell us if the trigger will be successful or not."

FROM POLITICALMAVINS.COM:

Bin Laden’s Threat and the New Jihadist Message for Europe
By Walid Phares (bio)

In an audiotape posted on Internet, Osama Bin Laden threatened Europe with punishment because of its “negligence in spite of the opportunity presented to take the necessary measures” to stop the publishing of the Danish cartoons. It also menaced the Vatican with retribution for an alleged role in incitement “against religion.”
This al Qaeda warning would have been normal in Salafi Jihad logic. This radical movement obviously considers the drawings as an ultimate insult to Muslims and would unleash extreme violence in retaliation. Actually one would have expected al Qaeda to strike back “for the cartoons offense” a long time ago. In fact, this particular audio is intriguing precisely because it is too “political” (read too sophisticated). Bin Laden’s school of Jihadism would have smitten first, explained later. So why is this message more peculiar than previous ones? What can we read into it?
In short, I see in it the imprint of Jihadi “politicians” and strategists in international relations deeply immersed in the diplomatic games across the Mediterranean. Even though it is indeed the voice of al Qaeda’s master, one can see the increasing impact of political operatives on the movement’s public statements. Here is why:
A raw al Qaeda reaction to the “infidel cartoons” would have been a strike back into the heart of the enemy with simple harshness and highly ideological brutality. But the audio tape has other points to make than just about the drawings. The message is heavily targeting Europe, while using the “cartoon Jihad” as a motive. Bin Laden and the war room behind him are concerned about the rise of tough national leaders on the continent: Sarkozy, Merkel, Brown and a possible reemergence of Berlusconi’s party in Italy in power.
In many spots in Europe, citizens are rejecting the Jihadi intimidations and becoming vocal about it. France is going to Chad, Germany has ships in the Eastern Mediterranean and Spain is arresting more Salafists. But the traditional apologists toward the Islamist agenda in Europe, remains strong. Al Qaeda wants to use the apologists against the “resistance.” What better means than threatening to strike at Europe’s peace if its liberal values are not altered?
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