Al-Qaida threatens to attack Italy after the end of the grace period

In a statement, a group alleged to have connections with al-Qaida organization on its site on the Internet called on all its cells to attack every possible target before it in Italy after the end of the grace period it had set for the Italian government to withdraw from Iraq. The grace period expired on Sunday.

Abu- Hafez al-Masri groups- al-Qaida stressed that "the Italian prime minister Sylvio Berliskony is one of its main targets and his head will be the price for what it described the crimes committed and is committed by his country's forces in Iraq. It added that the forthcoming attacks will not stopped unless Iraq become safe."

The group issued a statement on the Internet and dispatched a statement to the London- based al-Quds al-Arabi by the beginning of August saying that it gives Italy a grace period of 15 days in order to withdraw its forces from Iraq otherwise it will be exposed to attacks.

Earlier, the group threatened European countries saying it will start with Italy over not responding to a truce " of three months issued by the leader of al-Qaida organization Osama Bin Laden for the European states and expired in July."