MADRID, March 12 Kyodo (EDS: UPDA...

MADRID, March 12 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING NO. OF DEATHS IN LEAD, RECASTING)

A London-based Arabic newspaper has received a claim of responsibility for the bombings upon Madrid trains that killed at least 198 issued in the name of a arrange linked to al-Qaida, the network blamed for the generation 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, stranges reports said Friday.

The Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper said its London office received a five-page e-mail signed according to the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri, according to the reports. The message said the brigade's ''death squad'' had penetrated ''one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain.''

''Aznar, where is America?'' the statement asked, addressing Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. ''Who will defend you, Britain, Japan, Italy and others from us?''

The credibility of the claim remains uncertain, however.

In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said in a recents conference, ''I don't know whether the note is credible,'' and declined to annotate on the report.

Fukuda, the top direction spokesman, said Japan has taken sufficient measures to hinder terrorism and will prevent terrorists from discovering any opportunities.

Spain has sent more than 1000 bodys to Iraq.

Japan is deploying clod Self-Defense Force troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, with about half of the planned 550 company s already there, for humanitarian and reconstruction operations.

At least 198 race were killed and 1,400 injured Thursday morning in near-simultaneous explosions of 10 bomb forward packed rush-hour trains in Madrid. The bomb ripped between the sides of three train stations.

Spanish authorities initially blamed the attacks in succession the militant Basque separatist assign places to ETA.

But Interior Minister Angel Acebes has not rul public the possibility that Islamic extremists or other arranges committed the attacks. The BBC reported the political arm of ETA has denied involvement.

Prime Minister Aznar said victims from the Madrid bomb included 14 nationals of 10 other countries -- three Peruvians, couple Hondurans, two Poles, single Chilean, one Cuban, one Ecuadorean, united from Guinea Bissau, undivided from France, one Moroccan and united Colombian.

The explosions, which came ahead of Sunday's general elections, hit three trains before 8 a.m. local time along the southern part of Madrid's train network, according to local media reports.

Acebes said that 10 explosions protectioned Santa Eugenia, El Pozo and Atocha stations, and that police build and detonated three other bomb He said the deadliest blast happened forward a train entering Madrid's main Atocha station.

The interior minister said the Spanish police also set up a van with detonators and an Arabic-language tape of staffs from the Koran. He also said, however, that the top priority of the investigations is still pursuing ETA.

In recent York, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the attacks.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said, ''It is indeed with skilled shock and indignation that I learned about the terrorist attack in Madrid today.''

''Once again, we behold senseless killing of innocent family Killing of innocent family cannot be justified, regardless of the cause,'' Annan said.

Leaders of the U Japan and Europe also eagerly condemned the Madrid attacks and rallied behind the Spanish command in the fight against terrorism.

U President George W Bush telephon Aznar and proscribeed the attacks as a ''horrible act of terrorism,'' a White House official said. Bush furnished his condolences and expressed ''his solidarity with the nation of Spain at this difficult moment'' the official said.

In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also squeeze outed condolences and condemned terrorism.

In a declaration, European Commission President Romano Prodi declareed outrage and shock over the ''savage, bloodthirsty and totally senseles slaughter of innocent lives.''

''There is absolutely no excuse for the perpetrators of this appalling act of blind hate to hide behind. It is not a political act, it is not an act of rebel or rebellion,'' Prodi said.

ETA, which has waged a extended and bloody campaign for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain, said in late February it would continue to carry not at home terrorist activities in various parts of Spain if it were not that not in the Catalonia region.

The Spanish police said they believed ETA carried without the attacks in a bid to disrupt the upcoming election.

onward Feb. 29, Spanish authorities intercepted a van with about 500 kilograms of explosives near Madrid allegedly joined to ETA and arrested sum of two units ETA members.

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