Atrocity in London

A series of bombs planted in subways cars and buses have killed dozens and injured hundreds throughout London. So far at least one group has claimed responsibility.

A group called The Secret Organisation of al-Qaida in Europe today said it carried out the series of blasts in London in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The group's statement appeared on a website popular with Islamic militants, according to Elaph, a secular Arabic-language news website, and Der Spiegel magazine in Berlin, which both published the text on their sites.

The statement, which also threatened attacks against Italy and Denmark, said: "Rejoice, Islamic nation. Rejoice, Arab world. The time has come for vengeance against the Zionist crusader government of Britain in response to the massacres Britain committed in Iraq and Afghanistan."

The authenticity of the message could not be immediately confirmed, but al-Qaida in Europe also claimed responsibility for the last major terror attack in Europe: a string of bombs that hit commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, in March 2004 that killed 191 people.

The group appeared to boast that it had spent some time planning the attack.

"We have repeatedly warned the British government and people. We have fulfilled our promise and carried out our blessed military raid in Britain after our Mujahideen exerted strenuous efforts over a long period of time to ensure the success of the raid," the website posting read.

Terrorists experts caution that it is too early to positively identify the culprits behind today's cowardly acts. However, given the nature and coordination of the attacks, it seem almost certain that Islamist terrorists are to blame. Muslim leaders in Britain have joined with leaders of the Church of England and other British churches to condemn the attacks. But talk is cheap. Let's see how many moderate Muslims are prepared to rally in the street denouncing the terrorists. The terrorists claim to be acting in the name of Islam and of all Muslims, it is thus incumbent on "moderate Muslims" to publiclly rebuke the terrorists and demonstrate that they don't have the support of most Muslims. To date, even after the mass murder of September 11th, almost no such protests have occurred. Muslims have taken the streets by the hundreds of thousands around the world to denounce allegations of disrespectful treatment of copies of the Koran by American soldiers, but the Muslim masses remain shockingly quiet when their brethren indiscriminately murder tens, hundreds or thousands of civilians in Islam's name. Many Muslims openly support such attacks and celebrate them. The evidence would suggest that even if the majority of Muslims don't support the terrorists, they are not terribly against them either.

We have been told repeatedly by the multiculturalist/PC-minded leaders in Europe and America that Islam is "a religion of peace and love" and that most Muslims are not sympathetic toward the terrorists. If this is so, shouldn't we expect a vocal response from these same "moderate Muslims" outraged at the abuse of their religion? Several large rallies or demonstrations would at least give some sign that most Muslims take a dim view of the terrorists.

But, frankly, we don't hold our breath in anticipation of such a response. And weak condemnations and general silence from the majority of Muslims should tell the people of the Western world - and their thick-headed leaders - all they need to know about Islam and the true nature of this struggle.

European Governments Unite to Deport Illegals

Perhaps responding to mounting public pressure to stop the invasion of their countries by illegal immigrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, five European governments, including Britain and Spain, have agreed to coordinate efforts to speedily deport detained illegal immigrants.

Britain and four other large EU countries will organise joint charter flights to return illegal immigrants to their home countries.

The idea - suggested by Spain - was accepted by Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, and France, Italy and Germany, at a meeting at Evian on the French shore of Lake Geneva yesterday.

"The five largest EU countries are going to organise planes to take illegal immigrants home," said the French Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, who chaired the meeting.

Giuseppe Pisanu, the Italian Interior Minister, said planes would tour the five countries picking up citizens from a single country of origin. Police from the five countries would join the flight. The first charter would leave "in a matter of days", Mr Pisanu said.

The idea is not completely new. Individual EU countries have chartered planes to remove illegal migrants in the past. Italy and Germany have co-operated in joint flights. But this is the first time that five have agreed to a single repatriation programme. The idea is partly to save money, but also to share the political responsibility for repatriation, and to show that the EU is capable of acting together against illegal immigration.

The plan sounds good, but given the politically correct sensibilities of the governments involved - especially Tony Blair's - this may be less an attempt to actuallly staunch illegal immigration than a ploy to make it seem that they are doing something about it. And it does not address the high number of legal immigrants from the Third World now flocking to Europe. Solid majorities in most European nations want that stopped as well, but much like the US, their governments ignore the wishes of their people about immigration.