European leaders reject bin Laden's 'truce' offer

1.00pm - By ANDREW BUNCOMBE

European leaders have flatly rejected the 'truce' offered by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in exchange for the withdrawal of their troops from Iraq.

The message came with many countries under intense pressure over their support for the occupation of Iraq. The execution of an Italian private security contractor on Wednesday by Iraqi insurgents and the kidnapping of Japanese civilians has added to an already vociferous debate in those and many other countries about the future of their forces in Iraq.

The statement by the al Qaeda leader was an apparent attempt to drive a wedge between America and those European countries that have supported the Bush administration's invasion and occupation of Iraq. It is the first time bin Laden has offered such a truce.

But even the Italian administration remained resolute. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said: "It's unthinkable that we may open a negotiation with bin Laden, everybody understands this."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the al Qaeda leader's offer should be treated with contempt. "This is a murderous organisation which seeks impossible objectives by the most violent of means and has said in terms that whilst we love life they love death. I'm afraid that it is yet another bare-faced attempt to divide the international community."

He added: "It cannot and will not succeed because everybody knows that there is only one side on which the international community can be in the fight against terrorism."

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said: "It's unthinkable that we may open a negotiation with bin Laden, everybody understands this."

In Spain, incoming foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, said: "We don't have to listen to or answer [the tape]."

A German government spokesman said: "There can be no negotiations with terrorists and serious criminals like Osama bin Laden."

Poland also dismissed the offer while French president Jacques Chirac said his country would not negotiate with al Qaeda.

"There can be no possible bargaining with terrorists. Nothing can justify terrorism and, on that basis, nothing can allow any discussion with terrorists," he said.

In an audiotape broadcast by the Arab news channel Al-Jazeera, Bin Laden said his offer would last three months and would begin once troops had left.

"I announce a truce with the European countries that do not attack Muslim countries," he said on the message, authenticated by CIA experts.

"It is in both sides' interest to curb the plans of those who shed the blood of peoples for their narrow personal interest and subservience to the White House gang."

He added: "Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood."

The statement by the al Qaeda leader also reveals that, even though he is being pursued by US and Pakistani forces, he still has sufficient resources to make the recording and have his couriers deliver it to Al-Jazeera.

Peter Bergen, a terrorism analyst and author of 'Holy War Inc: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden', said yesterday on CNN: "Firstly it proves that he is alive very recently. This is the first time he has offered a truce to anyone. It implies he has political-strategic goals, especially after what happened in Madrid. Maybe he feels this is something he can do."

Experts said bin Laden, believed to be hiding somewhere on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border where he is being pursued in a major US-led operation, was trying to tap into widespread European opposition to the war in Iraq.

In the message bin Laden referred to last month's train bomb attack in Madrid and the subsequent defeat of Spain's ruling party, which claimed the attack was the work of the Basque separatist group ETA rather than al Qaeda.

He said: "It is known that security is a pressing necessity for all mankind. We do not agree that you should monopolise it only for yourselves. Also, vigilant people do not allow their politicians to tamper with their security."

The al Qaeda tape added: "The real problem is the occupation of Palestine. We vow to take revenge for the killing of [Hamas leader] Sheikh Yassin."

Yassin, 67, was killed in a targeted strike by Israeli forces in Gaza City last month.