Synagogue blast may mark Al Qaida's return - Germany

IE Breaking ^ | 18/04/2002 - 1:00:24 pm GMT

[maquiladora]

Germany has for the first time raised the possibility that a truck bombing at a Tunisian synagogue that killed 16 people was an al-Qaida terrorist attack.

If confirmed, the blast on Djerba island would be the first terror attack by Osama bin Laden’s terror network since September 11.

‘‘We are considering all possibilities, but those that we must consider include al-Qaida structures,’’ Interior Minister Otto Schily said.

Schily said he will travel to Tunisia this weekend to meet investigators and President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, possibly on Monday.

The number of dead in the attack rose to 16 today with the death of a 15-year-old girl in the northern German city of Luebeck. Eleven of the dead were Germans.

Federal prosecutors this week detained a man in Germany who was allegedly telephoned shortly before the blast by the suspected attacker.

The suspect was released on Tuesday after prosecutors said they lacked sufficient evidence to hold him.

A German newspaper said the alleged driver of the gas-laden truck that blew up at the Ghriba synagogue telephoned a German contact shortly before the blast, urging him to ‘‘pray for me’’.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said a man who investigators believe was Nizar Nawar, a 25-year-old Tunisian, spoke to a man living in Muelheim, Germany.

Quoting from what it said was a transcript compiled by German authorities, the newspaper said the caller told the other man, identified only as Michael Christian G, ‘‘Don’t forget to pray for me.’’

Tunisian officials said they found the German phone number in the memory of a mobile phone seized from an uncle of Nawar, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said, adding that the significance of the intercepted conversation became clear to German officials only after the blast.

The paper also said the conversation ended with the man in Germany asking, ‘‘Do you need something?’’ and the caller responding ‘‘I just need daawa’’ - which it interpreted as meaning ‘‘I just need the order’’ in Arabic.

However, such an exchange is a common way for Arabs, particularly Muslims, to end conversations, with ‘‘daawa’’ meaning an appeal for God’s blessing for the other person.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I guess no one cares.

[Mixer]

When did this attack take place?

[Eva]

There is not much to say,about another Muslim atrocity, except that, ...and these barbarians are complaining of war crimes in Jenin?

[Eva]

There is not much to say,about another Muslim atrocity, except that, ...and these barbarians are complaining of war crimes in Jenin?

[Mixer]

I found another thread that has the date in it. I must have missed this story and the American press has not been discussing it. I guess in light of this new evidence that will change in the coming days.

[tallhappy]

From three days ago, Al-Qaeda claims attack on Tunisia synagogue: paper

[FourtySeven]

If it was Al Qaida, then there even more stupid then I thought.

I can hear their thoughts now, "DANG, we didn't get the US to cave, MAYBE we can get the GERMANS to fear us". LOL.....what pathetic reasoning, because if the Germans were at all reticent about entering into the war on terrorism, they SURE as HECK won't be now!

Given this, I hope to GOD it WAS Al Qaida!

[FourtySeven]

PERFECT! hehe Now I'm a happy man.

[aristeides]

According to Der Spiegel, "Deutsche Waren werden verbrannt und vergiftet" ["German Goods will be burned and poisoned"], an organization calling itself the "German Division of Al Qaeda" sent a threatening letter to the German embassy in Tunisia at the beginning of the year.

[ecomcon]

Seemingly random strike. An attempt to intimidate and influence Europe to lose resolve, if they have any.

"I'm still here, and I strike with impunity".

Islam against the world.

[aristeides]

Der Spiegel has a further article on the progress of the investigation today, ANSCHLAG AUF DJERBA: Ermittler versuchen das Terrornetz zu entwirren [ATTACK ON DJERBA: Investigators try to disentangle Terror Network]. Apparently, the German convert to Islam whom the authorities were holding a couple of days ago and then released is still under suspicion. His name is "Michael Christian G.", and he is an ethnic German from the town of Gleiwitz, which is now in Poland. He had a suspicious phone conversation with the bomber an hour before the attack on the synagogue.

[Tuor]

Germany has for the first time raised the possibility that a truck bombing at a Tunisian synagogue that killed 16 people was an al-Qaida terrorist attack.

Much easier to say it is the al-Qaida than your own citizens, eh?

Tuor

[justshutupandtakeit]

Yeah, imagine the Murderous Morons of Mad Mo whining about the deaths of all those "innocent" terrorists and terrorist assistants. Yet, deliberate murders of true innocents are greeted with jubilation and cheering crowds.

No matter how many were killed in Jenin it wasn't enough.

[Bigg Red]

I must have missed this story and the American press has not been discussing it. I guess in light of this new evidence that will change in the coming days.

You forgot your "sarcasm" tag.

[Stultis]

If Muslims world-wide get a pass on saying, "we condemn terrorism, but..." I'm going to claim the same priveledge.

I regret the death of innocent German tourists, BUT mabye Europeans will start to get the point now. You suppose?

[knighthawk]

Thanks for all the articles )on variuos threads!). Der Spiegel seems to be on on a lot of things.

[LouD]

the blast on Djerba island would be the first terror attack by Osama bin Laden’s terror network since September 11.

Actually, I think that distinction belongs to Reid, the Brit raghead shoe bomber...