Spain slams Australian comment on its Iraq pullout

1.00pm

MADRID - Spain summoned the Australian ambassador in Madrid on Monday to protest against Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's view that the pullout of Spanish troops from Iraq had encouraged terrorists to issue threats.

Downer made the comment on Sunday after a group claiming to be the European wing of al Qaeda threatened attacks on Australia and Italy if they did not withdraw their soldiers from Iraq.

"The Spanish government, which has made the fight against terrorism a clear foreign policy priority, considers these declarations unacceptable, especially from a friendly country like Australia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Spain's Socialist government, which took power in April, quickly made good on a campaign pledge to withdraw Spanish soldiers from Iraq. The last troops of a contingent that once numbered 1400 left on May 21.

The decision was controversial because the Spanish presence in Iraq was cited by a group claiming responsibility for the March 11 Madrid train bombings as one of the reasons for the attacks, which killed 191 people and injured 1900.

The Socialists, however, had pledged to pull out of Iraq if they won the elections well before the train bombs, which investigators blame on Islamic militants acting in the name of al Qaeda.

The blasts took place three days before a general election, which the Socialists unexpectedly won. The new government says the Iraq pullout was the Spanish electorate's choice and not a result of the attacks.

Some foreign commentators have nonetheless said the move, which drew fire from Washington, gave the impression Spain had caved in to terrorists.

The group making the threats against Australia and Italy told them to "follow the path of the Philippines and Spain", referring also to the Philippines decision to pull out troops from Iraq to save the life of a Filipino hostage.

Days earlier, the previously unheard-of Islamic Tawhid Group threatened Bulgaria and Poland with attacks if they did not leave Iraq.

Downer responded that Australia would not let terrorists determine its policy, saying the Spanish and Philippines decision had encouraged them to continue threats.

"So now we are subjected, as the Italians are, and the Poles and the Bulgarians, from this particular group, to further threats," he said.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq