Calls To Attack Euro 2008 Soccer Championship In Berne Monitored In Al Qaeda Portal

May 16, 2008 12:38 a.m. EST

Berne, Switzerland (AHN) - An increasing number of calls at Al Qaeda website to attack the Euro 2008 soccer championships has been observed by Swiss police.

Co-hosting the regional sport event in June are Switzerland and Austria.

Juerg Buehler, a security expert from the Swiss Federal Police told the local daily La Liberte, "We are on alert and we are following those jihad fora very closely. It is through these that Bin Laden's agents awaken dormant cells. The situation is serious even if it is frustrated people hiding behind these sites."

A sample of the incendiary postings was published by Deutsche Welle, which read, "Let's transform the two most secure countries in Europe into hell, like the hell in Iraq and Afghanistan." Another posting forecast, "The hour has come for fighters of the faith they must make themselves heard."

However, an official police statement attributed by the Telegraph U.K. to Guido Balmer, sent to AFP, tried to downplay the perils that could possibly occur as the soccer finals start June 7 in Basel. The statement said, "Any big event like Euro 2008 could be a target of choice for terrorists, but there are no concrete elements right now that would incline to fear any specific danger."

Over five million soccer fans are expected to attend Euro 2008. Sixteen teams are battling for the crown, with eight sports venues in Switzerland and four in Austria to serve as arenas.