Mark Kelly: “extremist groups in Europe are providing financial support to the insurgents in Iraq, and they will be openly gathering…”

“extremist groups in Europe are providing financial support to the insurgents in Iraq, and they will be openly gathering later this year on Italian soil to continue their plotting. Shortly after the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom, they began a fund-raising campaign, asking people to donate ``ten euros to the Iraq insurgency.'' The revolting image behind me, dramatizing a violent assault on a U.S. soldier, was taken from the Web site of a group actively supporting the 10-year-old campaign. It seems to me it conveys accurately the murderous intentions behind this fund-raising initiative. When questioned as to whether the campaign would support terrorism in Iraq, a spokesman for the fund- raising effort said, ``We support the armed struggle in Iraq. Our money is to help them. It doesn't matter to us if they use it to buy weapons, Kalashnikovs, or medicines for the people.'' The group reportedly sent supplies to the Al Anbar province as recently as February of this year. Now they are notifying comrades of a conference this October in Rome to grow support for insurgents throughout the world. My colleagues, we hold different opinions about our efforts in Iraq, but we should all stand together in fighting those who support the insurgents, killing Americans and innocent Iraqis. ____________________”