Al Qaida denounces papal trip to Turkey; Vatican officials unworried

(30 Nov. 2006) : The international terrorist group Al Qaida issued a statement Thursday condemning Pope Benedict's trip to Turkey, describing the papal voyage as a crusader campaign against the lands of Islam. "We have a date with victory and martyrdom and an Islamic state that rules under the commands of God the almighty, and then we shall break the cross and spill the wine," the group's statement said.

However, Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, the director of Vatican Press Office assured reporters that neither the Pope nor his entourage, are worried about the Al-Qaida statement. The message posted on several Islamic sites only underlined the necessity for initiatives like the Pope’s trip, he said. "This type of message shows once again the urgency and importance of a common commitment against violence. During his trip the Pope is encouraging leaders of all religious faiths to ‘say NO to violence in God’s name," said Fr. Lombardi.