Stefan850
01-07-2010, 09:04 AM
7 January 2010 | 12:39 | Source: B92 JERUSALEM -- The Balkans will become a stronghold and a future target of Al-Qaeda and other extremist Islamic groups, Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman has warned.
Lieberman made the statement in Jerusalem during his recent meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
The Israeli minister spoke about his country's intelligence reports which suggested that the Balkans would be incorporated into the global network of Jihad, with Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups expanding their activities there.
Israeli website Ynetnews quoted Lieberman as telling the visiting Macedonian delegation that current data testifies to the fact that the Balkan region is global Jihad's next target for creating an infrastructure and recruiting activists.
"This can be seen from the attempts of Muslim charitable organizations to transfer funds to Africa and South America, to areas populated by Bosnians and Albanians," said the foreign minister.
For this reason, Lieberman urged Gruevski and his ministers to be suitably prepared in order to prevent what happened in Africa and South America from happening in the Balkans.
At the same time, the Israeli foreign policy chief noted that Al-Qaeda is trying to make use of the tensions between the region's majority Christian population, and called on the Macedonian PM to vigilantly monitor developments in his country, and in the Balkans.
Lieberman made the statement in Jerusalem during his recent meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
The Israeli minister spoke about his country's intelligence reports which suggested that the Balkans would be incorporated into the global network of Jihad, with Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups expanding their activities there.
Israeli website Ynetnews quoted Lieberman as telling the visiting Macedonian delegation that current data testifies to the fact that the Balkan region is global Jihad's next target for creating an infrastructure and recruiting activists.
"This can be seen from the attempts of Muslim charitable organizations to transfer funds to Africa and South America, to areas populated by Bosnians and Albanians," said the foreign minister.
For this reason, Lieberman urged Gruevski and his ministers to be suitably prepared in order to prevent what happened in Africa and South America from happening in the Balkans.
At the same time, the Israeli foreign policy chief noted that Al-Qaeda is trying to make use of the tensions between the region's majority Christian population, and called on the Macedonian PM to vigilantly monitor developments in his country, and in the Balkans.