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East Asia
Al-Qaeda Threatens Japan If Troops Sent to Iraq, AFP Reports
2003-11-17
AFP is hoping it’s true, too.
The al-Qaeda terrorist network said it will carry out an attack in Tokyo if Japan sends troops to join the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, Agence France-Presse said, citing a statement sent to an Arabic-language magazine.
al-Q operatives might find it a bit hard to operate in downtown Tokyo.
``Our strikes will reach the heart of Tokyo,’’ AFP said, citing an e-mailed statement sent by Abu Mohammed al-Ablaj to the London-based weekly terrorist front magazine al-Majallah.
Aren't all those turbans going to stick out in downtown Tokyo? And Japanese normally don't roll their eyes. It's a cultural thing...
``If they want to destroy their economic power and be trampled under the feet of the combatants of Allah, let them come to Iraq.’’ Al-Ablaj was identified as an al-Qaeda operative who is in regular contact with the magazine, AFP said.
What -- no sea of fire?
Japan is considering sending 550 members of its Self-Defense Force to Iraq. The government said it may delay the deployment until next year after increasing attacks in Iraq, including last week’s bombing at an Italian military base in the southern Iraqi town of Nasiriyah.
Now is when we need you.
Al-Qaeda was responsible for the attack in Nasiriyah, al-Ablaj said in his statement to the magazine, according to AFP. The terrorist network said it was behind attacks on Saturday at two synagogues in Turkey that killed at least 23 people, AFP said, citing a statement sent to the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi.
Sure would be nice if the rest of the Western world would wake up.
Posted by:Steve White

#10  The mutts from al qaeda don't want to fuck with business in Japan. Doing that means pissing off the yakuza, and they would have NO problem dismembering any and all muslims and serving them as sushimi.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-17 3:59:19 PM  

#9  Pissing off the Sons of the Heavenly Chrysanthemum is probably not a real bright move. They have this whole "honor" thing of their own, y'see, and tend to "kill and walk away"...
Posted by: mojo   2003-11-17 1:26:05 PM  

#8  I am sure that a great majority of Al-Q's statements are BS and are used to intimidate. They are going for soft targets now (e.g. Turkey and some in Saudi Arabia) to keep in the slimelight and not to appear to lose their relevance. The more terrorism that they do around the world, besides in the US, the more the world will eventually be mobilized to stomp them out. Responsible governments in the world must keep up the pressure. It is a shame that we cannot shut down Saudi Arabia right now, because the majority of Al Q related funding must come from there.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-11-17 9:29:04 AM  

#7  Look like the North Koreans may have some compitition for spittle this year after all.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2003-11-17 9:17:10 AM  

#6  RC, you beat me to it. I was going to make a witty remark about how it's never a good idea to stand behind an Arab. Damn you, Mr Crawford, damn you.

TT, I hope the people of Japan, never have to learn first hand about Islamic Terror.
Posted by: Swiggles   2003-11-17 8:58:48 AM  

#5  be trampled under the feet of the combatants of Allah

So, the Japanese are going to circle behind them? Dangerous place to be as the "combatants of Allah" run from battle so they can get back to their preferred killing of women and children.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2003-11-17 8:47:41 AM  

#4  I lived in Japan for three years and I think al-Q is under estimating the capability of the Japanese to go medieval on them. A attack by a external enemy would unite them as nothing else. There would be a roundup of islamic immigrants with the full approval of the population and mass expulsions. They wouldn't be able to disappear into the masses like the domestic terrorists do.
Posted by: Steve   2003-11-17 8:39:25 AM  

#3  Uh-oh. They're coming to my neighborhood. I think they'll have a hard time smuggling explosives or weapons into Tokyo without some local connection - I doubt the Yakuza would work with them knowingly. I don't doubt that they could (or already do) have a cell with operatives here. There are a lot of South Asians (mostly Indians) in my neighborhood. Plenty of Turks and a smattering of Iranians elsewhere. Pakistani or Arab terrorists would have an easy time avoiding detection in Tokyo. The U.S. embassy is near my office and under tight security as are other U.S. interests. But there are plenty of other soft targets. The problem is I know that a large percentage of the Japanese population will be greatly intimidated by al-Qaida threats. I think their mentality is changing after growing weary of N. Korean threats. But they still have a long way to go and most people know nothing of Islamic Terrorism and don't want to court its wrath.
Posted by: Tokyo Taro   2003-11-17 1:35:19 AM  

#2  I thought Japan either busted a cell or is keeping careful watch.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-17 1:30:24 AM  

#1  /be trampled under the feet of the combatants of Allah

ROTFLMAO!
Posted by: Rafael   2003-11-17 1:00:32 AM  

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