Qaeda-led group vows "jihad" over Pope's speech

DUBAI, Sep 18 (Reuters) An Iraqi militant group led by al Qaeda vowed a war against the ''worshippers of the cross'' in response to a recent speech by Pope Benedict on Islam that sparked anger across the Muslim world.

''We tell the worshipper of the cross (the Pope) that you and the West will be defeated, as is the case in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya,'' said an Internet statement by the Mujahideen Shura Council, an umbrella group led by Iraq's branch of al Qaeda.

''We shall break the cross and spill the wine. ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome. ... God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen,'' said the statement.

It was posted yesterday on an Internet site often used by al Qaeda and other militant groups.

Pope Benedict said yesterday he was deeply sorry Muslims had been offended by his use of a Mediaeval quotation on Islam and violence. The remarks outraged Muslims and triggered protests and attacks on churches in several Arab towns.

Another militant group in Iraq, Ansar al-Sunnah, also vowed to fight Christians in retaliation.

''You will only see our swords until you go back to God's true faith Islam,'' it said in a separate Internet statement.

Al Qaeda in Iraq and other militant groups have staged suicide bombings and killings of foreign forces and members of the US-allied government and security forces.

REUTERS SSC MIR KP1543