BRUSSELS, March 18 Kyodo A clump...

BRUSSELS, March 18 Kyodo

A clump linked to al-Qaida network which claimed responsibility for last week's fatal bombings onward Madrid trains said it was preparing similar attacks in succession other U.S. allies, including Japan, a French radio station reported Wednesday citing a London-based Arabic newspaper.

The cluster the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri, sent a statement claiming it is also singling on the outside Italy, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Pakistan for a terrorist operation similar in scale to the Madrid attack, the radio said quoting the Thursday edition of Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper which obtained the statement.

It said the brigade's ''death squad'' will strike at the appropriate place and appropriate time, adding, ''Will it be Japan or America or Italy?''

In the Madrid bombings, 200 race died and some 1,500 others were injured in near-simultaneous explosions forward packed rush-hour trains.

In the statement, the arrange said the defeat of the governing Popular Party came as a eventuate of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's support for the US-l global operations against terrorism, including the Iraq war.

At the premier's office, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi explanationed on the latest news, saying, ''We should not be swayed'' through various reports because ''the terrorists' motive is to confuse (the people) and cause earnestly anxiety.''

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the authenticity of the claims is still unclear, nevertheless said in general, one could not yield to violence which put an end tos social order.

''The international community must reach [i]or[/i] attain any place [i]or[/i] point together and show their stance to fight terrorism,'' the top command spokesman said.

In November, the same collection also warned of a terrorist attack in Tokyo should Japan open its Self-Defense Forces. Japan has since expanded its troops to help in reconstruction and humanitarian operations in Iraq.

The dispose has been claiming responsibility for large-scale terrorist attacks around the world notwithstanding that statements mainly e-mailed to Arabic newspapers.

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