Omar Bakri (in picture), the Islamic leader who recently said Romania and Bulgaria could be targets of terrorist attacks, tried to come to Romania and has connections here, confirmed the director of Romania's Intelligence Service (SRI), George Maior.

“We are not exempt from terrorist threats. It is increasing and we are on the map of terrorism organizations as a potential target because of our presence in Afghanistan and because of the anti-missile shield. And we are very careful. Omar Bakri was under analysis by the Service in the past, he tried to come to Romania, he has connections in Romania, he's a man we are looking at carefully,” said the Romanian Intelligence Service head in a TV show.

Romania is just like other European countries when it comes to terrorist attacks, said Maior, and reminded of the incidents in previous years in France, Norway, and the most recent in Bulgaria this summer.

“We are trying to identify potential vulnerabilities, we've talked about it in the latest Supreme Defense Council meeting, in the presence of the Prime Minister Ponta, and the Government pledged to help with certain elements to treat these vulnerabilities,” said Maior.

Bakri led the Al-Muhajirun movement, close to al-Qaeda, until 2004, which was involved in the bomb attacks in London in 2005.

His statement about Romania and potential terrorism comes after the Burgas attack, when Israeli tourists were attacked at the airport by a suicide bomber who was connected to people in Bakri’s group.

Bakri, who is now an expert on Muslim groups and sects, explained that Islamic terrorists see Romania and Bulgaria as Islamic lands, and blame them for their military footprint in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Once Islam stepped into a territory, it is considered Islamic. This is why Muslims have to free it one day. Spain, for example, is Islamic. Eastern Europe also, Romania, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia. Bulgaria is a legitimate target because it has troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and cooperates with Israel. We think bomb attacks could be launched in Bulgaria. Maybe in Romania and other states as well,” said Bakri for the Bulgarian newspaper.

editor@romania-insider.com