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Irish beware; Al-Qaeda wants your sons. The US government has published a letter confiscated as evidence from Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan hideout. The letter encourages al-Qaeda to seek disaffected Irish youth for recruitment.

WASHINGTON DC (Catholic Online) - Posted online, the letter was part of a declassified document dump by the Combating Terrorism Center, a privately funded research institute at the US Military Academy at West Point.

The letter was written in January 2011 by American al-Qaeda spokesman, Adam Gadahn and sent to Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Gadhan's letter encouraged the now deceased bin Laden to reach out to the Irish who have been disillusioned with the Catholic Church because of scandal there.

The letter added that Ireland was worthy because the country and its people were not participants in President Bush's fight against al-Qaeda.

Finally, Gadhan mentions the poor economy in Ireland and the spread of atheism in Europe, as making the people ripe for conversion. "Why do we not face them with Islam?" Gadhan proposed.

If bin Laden had heeded Gadhan's advice then it is likely al-Qaeda would have initiated a recruitment campaign to seek converts to Islam who might have volunteered for terrorist missions including suicide bombings.

Undoubtedly the Irish people are upset over sex abuse scandals within the Church and the prospect that the Vatican has not handled those allegations properly, for a variety of reasons. However, it is difficult to say if the frustration runs deeply enough that any youth would turn to al-Qaeda where they could be indoctrinated and turned into human weapons for the terrorist organization.

While there is no evidence that al-Qaeda is actively operating in Ireland, seeking recruits, the contents of the letter should serve as a warning that al-Qaeda is viewing the youth of Ireland with covetous eyes.

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IRISH BEWARE - al-Qaeda wants your sons

Article brought to you by: Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)