By Claude Salhani
From the International Desk
Published 5/5/2002 12:35 PM
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=...2-115056-6652r

PARIS, May 5 (UPI) -- Le Journal du Dimanche reports Sunday that Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terrorist network is preparing to kidnap hundreds of people throughout Europe over the next few days.

The aim of the operation would be to acquire a number of European hostages and then exchange them for Islamic activists currently being held in various European cities, the Paris-based paper reported.

The newspaper cited Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, and French intelligence sources in its report.

According to the report, about 30 members of al Qaida from Iraq, Iran, Yemen and Sudan are preparing to strike targets in France, Great Britain and Germany and take a large numbers of hostages in each country.

The plan, according to Le Journal du Dimanche, is to kidnap about 300 to 400 people in each country by taking control of crowds in places such as cinemas, churches, or even by hijacking cruise ships sailing in the Mediterranean.

The report said the terrorists are prepared to kill themselves along with their hostages.

The paper added that the intelligence was acquired by BKA, the German intelligence agency, in Pakistan and was immediately shared with other European agencies.

Germany has already dismantled at least three terrorist cells operating on its territory since Sept. 11, including one believed to be connected to the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

<font color="pink"> [img]graemlins/idontagreeatall.gif[/img] Damn, dont these people ever stop? The world is a dangerous place to live in....and unfortunatley, the only place!</font color="pink">

It will be interesting to see whether this is a fake or real. We will just have to see what comes of it. :/

And to what goal?
If they want the rest of the world firmly against them, who will then speak of human rights when they disintegrated? Who will stand up for the inhumanity they will suffer, when they brought it to more people?

The problem with fanatic terrorists, is that you can´t argue with them...

Sounds like they are about to shoot themselves in the foot and let as many people as possible differ for it.

Hmm - I haven't found anything about this on either CNN or BBC...they are usually quite fast.

I doubt it also Melusine.....and would they still go ahead with the plan after this leaked information. With everyone on alert, they would not have the surprise attack of last September.

just the spreading of this news has made them at least reach one of their goals, they got people scared ones again