One of Ours

Al-Qaeda has warned Muslims to flee Europe before its truce offer expires on July 15th.

A spokesman for the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades - who claimed responsibility for the Madrid train bombings - made the threat in a letter published in a London-based Arabic newspaper.

Muslims were urged to take suitable precautions: "Muslims in the West should depart to Muslim states if they can...Those who cannot should take precautions and live in Muslim areas, have enough food to last a month, find ways to protect themselves and their families, leave enough money in the house to last one month or longer and to pray a lot and put their fate in God's hands."

On April 15 Osama bin Laden issued a statement claiming al-Qaeda would remove Europe from its list of targets if European governments were to "Stop attacking Muslims and stop the occupation of Muslim countries." Most European governments dismissed the terror leader's offer of a truce.

However, only days before, veteran British politician Mo Mowlam urged leaders to "negotiate" with the terror group. And just after the Madrid bombing, which killed nearly 200 commuters, Britain's Guardian newspaper said that European nations had to "get beyond them and us, good guys and bad guys" when dealing with terror.