A militant group threatened to attackItaly and other European countries because of their support for USpolicies on Iraq, Italian media reported on Saturday.

The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which claims to have links withal-Qaeda, said in a statement issued on an website that as Rome ignored an ultimatum to leave Iraq and other European countries spurned a truce offered by Osama bin Laden, they will attack targets in Italy and across Europe.

"While our weapons are primed against (Italian Prime Minister Silvio) Berlusconi, we are also targeting the whole Europe," the group said.

"The mujahideen will not desist from jihad in Europe so long asone (European) soldier remains on the land of Islam and Muslims," said the statement.

Last week, the group said Italy and Berlusconi were its main targets after its "final warning" to Italian troops was ignored.

The militant group has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks, including the March 11 terrorist attacks in Madrid and other attacks in Iraq and Turkey.

Italy has some 3,000 troops in Iraq, making it the third largest contingent after that of the United States and Britain.

Source: Xinhua