BBC Monitoring International Reports - December 13, 2004

Source: Dnevnik, Skopje, in Macedonian 10 Dec 04 p 2

Text of report by Svetlana Jovanovska: "Arabs from Al-Qa'idah walking around Skopje" published by Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik on 10 December

Arabs linked to Al-Qa'idah's widespread network have been seen at the Albanian-Macedonian border and around Skopje. That is all I can say at this point. We cannot say whether these people are there on vacation, just passing by, training or preparing something. The intelligence services are monitoring them, terrorism expert Claude Monique (name as transliterated) told Dnevnik.

According to this expert, it has not been confirmed yet whether Islamic terrorists are linked with the Albanians who were members of the former liberation armies of Kosovo and Macedonia.

"I stayed in Macedonia for a while during the crisis, but I have not noticed such a link. Radical Islam is a new phenomenon in Macedonia, which is why it is being monitored," he said.

In his view, the problems in the IVZ (Islamic Religious Community) have no connection whatsoever with the temporary closure of the US Embassy in Macedonia.

"The risk of Islamic fundamentalism has been determined and it is obvious in Macedonia and Bosnia-Hercegovina. There are indications that it may emerge in Kosovo as well, but currently a more serious and a more dangerous reality there is the Mafia. US citizens frequently close their embassies because of a risk of a terrorist attack. They regularly receive such reports from their services, but this is a precautionary measure and it does not necessarily mean that such an attack will occur," Monique says.

He claims that the Balkans is an extremely attractive place for Islamists and Al-Qa'idah. This is because international groups are stationed there and they are frequently targets of the terrorists, because Islamists can draw closer to Europe through the Balkans.

We cannot say that Skopje Mufti Zenon Berisha is linked with the Al-Qa'idah, but in all likelihood he is linked with Islamic fundamentalism, a European intelligence officer, who insisted on remaining anonymous, told Dnevnik with regard to Claude Monique's statements.

"Terrorists are linked to political Islamists, and Berisha is both a religious and political Islamist," our source said, adding that Berisha's negative view on (Islamic Religious Community head) Emini is yet further evidence of this.

In Monique's view, it is a fact that people linked to Al-Qa'idah are trying to destabilize the countries populated by Muslims. According to Monique, evidence of this are the arrests of Egyptians who prepared assassinations in Tirana. These people were sentenced to death and executed in Egypt.

Monique adds that there is occasionally news from some countries, such as Israel, that, for example, there are terrorists' training camps near Lake Ohrid.

"I doubt that there are such camps near Ohrid because they are looking for a bigger space and they would soon be noticed there. I believe that they have smaller training units consisting of a maximum of 10 people. They can carry out the training in separate houses, because such places are much harder to find," Monique adds.

Interior Ministry: There are no training camps here

The Interior Ministry (MVR) yesterday refused to comment on the foreign experts' claims about the presence of Arabs from Al-Qa'idah in Skopje. It said that the police are monitoring all people who posed potential danger to Macedonia.

"There are no terrorist' training camps on the Macedonian side of Lake Ohrid. There are Arabs in Macedonia, but their number has not increased lately. Some of them are studying in our country," the MVR said.