Al-Qaeda threatens Germans in Afghanistan

A presumed member of Al-Qaeda threatened Germany with reprisals for its presence in Afghanistan in a video made public by the US centre for surveillance of Islamist sites SITE.

In the 30-minute video message, an individual calling himself Abu Talha Al-Alamani said the Germans were "gullible and naive" if they thought they could "escape unscathed when they are the third occupation force in Afghanistan."

"Letting me blow myself up in the name of Allah has been my wish since 1993," said the man whose face was hidden by a black turban, adding, "Time is running out for the Germans. I say to the German people 'arise and become just again'."

SITE said the video, in German with Arabic subtitles, had been produced by Al-Qaeda's production unit As-Sahab and was dated October 2008.

Its authenticity had not been verified. The message, headed "The Plan to Save Germany," went on, "The world economic crisis has hit the pride of the Germans head-on."

Any rescue plan would be useless for as long as Berlin continued to keep soldiers in Afghanistan. If it withdrew its troops, "the hopes of the government can perhaps be satisfied," said Alamani, adding that "there are not only lives at stake, but also jobs" as "a champion exporter is also vulnerable away from home."