To most in the West, the fighting in Kosovo is the result of an oppressive Yugoslav regime that seeks to quell independence for an Albanian majority in the province. But, quietly, European defense and diplomatic representatives regard the Kosovo rebellion as a success of radical Islamic states, such as Iran, and groups such as that of Osama Bin Laden.
As they see it, Kosovo has become the latest and most significant arena for radical Islamic states and groups that seek to widen their influence in Europe. Nobody argues that Islamic elements fomented the conflicts in the Balkans. But they say Iran, Saudi Arabia, and some of their terrorist beneficiaries have exploited the fighting to establish a sphere of influence that spans from Greece to the Austrian border.
Islamic groups as far away as Pakistan have called for support of the fighters in Kosovo. "The type of cruel and oppressive tactics followed by Serb aggressors in Kosovo and the Balkans is a declaration of war against humanity and the whole Muslim Ummah," the Jamaat Islami (Pakistan) said in a recent statement.
That realization, the diplomats and defense sources say, is why European leaders are increasingly hesitant in approving NATO strikes against Yugoslavia.
"The gap between the public political rhetoric and the private professional discussions is huge," a European defense official said. "Europe is beginning to realize that Kosovo is not just about a rebellion. It's about a growing Iranian attempt to support and dominate movements in states in Europe."
Reuven Paz, who teaches at Haifa University, is regarded as one of Israel's leading researchers of radical Islamic movements, particularly Hamas. He says Iran and Saudi Arabia view the conflicts in Kosovo and Bosnia as that pitting Islam against Christianity.
"All of the Sunni Muslim groups as well as Iran are making lots of propaganda for Kosovo and see it as a symbol," Paz said. "As Europe tries to unite, there could be a lot more unity between the Muslims on the margins of Europe. There is potential that this unity could be used in a hostile way."
Western intelligence sources as well as diplomats said the major supporter of the Kosovo Liberation Army has been Iran and Islamic radicals. They said the Iranian influence began during the Yugoslav civil war in which thousands of Islamic fighters, called mujahadeen, were brought from Afghanistan to help Bosnian forces.
With the establishment of an independent
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Without condoning the terrible war crimes no doubt committed by the Serbs, we Israelis and they basically find ourselves in the same boat. The world press understates each of our respective sides, while it embellishes the Arab-Moslem case, and sweeps under the carpet its faults, crimes, and inherent dangers. Both the Serbs and the Israelis are given to American-European pressure on behalf of the Moslems. We were forced in the Wye negotiations to give over portions of our homeland to the Arabs, and the Serbs are being forced right now to hand over a sovereign region of theirs, Kosovo, to the Moslem Albanians. The Serbs, in fact, call Kosovo their "Jerusalem" --would it be that we would learn from them how to stand fast in conviction and determination and strength when the time comes for us to fight for our Jerusalem.
The Serbs lost their holy Kosovo to the Turks 600 years ago, and have dreamt and sung about it ever since then. They have woven their national identity around Kosovo. We have pined for Zion and Jerusalem more than three times as long, and with it all, tell
Both the Serbs and the Israelis are targets of American-European pressure on behalf of the Moslems.
The hostile press does not tell us who the Serbs really are. From amongst all the Yugoslavian peoples, they bore the main brunt of the fight against the Nazis in World War II. The Croatians established a Nazi state, and murdered hundreds of thousands of Serbs and tens of thousands of Jews. Jews and Serbs are buried to-
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April 1999 - 3 - Outpost