Islam Vs. Europe

Some pooh-pooh the idea that the world is experiencing the beginning stages of a religious war. But one fascinating outgrowth of the recent spate of terrorist attacks suggests that, in fact, a modern crusade is heating up.

Pope Benedict xvi, in an official statement July 8, described the first set of attacks in London as “anti-human and anti-Christian.” He also called the murder by terrorists of Egypt’s envoy to Iraq “atrocious” and “barbaric.” A telegram from the Vatican to Egypt’s ambassador said it went against “every human and religious sentiment,” and that “it can never dent the international community’s commitment against violence and common efforts to eliminate its political, social and cultural causes.”

Essentially, the pope threw down the gauntlet to jihadist Islam.

And, it seems, some of the jihadists willingly grabbed on to that gauntlet in response.

A Web statement from a group claiming links to al-Qaeda praised the London bombings and directly threatened Rome. “We warn Rome, the capital of infidels, that the lions of Jihad in Europe are ready to launch strong strikes against the collaborating government with the crusaders, the Americans, the enemies of God, the Prophet and Muslims,” it said. It was issued by a little-known group called Jihad in the Arabian Peninsula.

Last Monday, a fresh warning was issued against Rome by another group called the Abu Hafs Masri Brigades: “After London, it is Rome’s turn.” Run on the Internet, the statement, addressed directly to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, said that unless the prime minister withdrew Italian troops from Iraq, he would be making the choice to “turn Rome into a graveyard” in strikes worse than those in London. “As long as a single Italian soldier remains in Iraq, you the prime minister can look forward to nothing but more and more blood.”

According to debkafile, “One of al-Qaeda’s prime targets is expected to be the Vatican, which the terrorist organization sees as a world center of heresy.”

The Trumpet is closely watching for friction to increase between the Vatican and the more militant organs of Islam. It is not a sideline issue in the war against terrorism. The historical and biblical proof is plenteous that this tiff will flare into the most violent confrontation the world has ever witnessed.

Watch for it.