CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The group that claimed responsibility for deadly train bombings in Spain warned European nations that they have only two weeks to withdraw troops from Iraq or face the consequences, a pan-Arab newspaper reported yesterday.

The statement, carried by Asharq al-Awsat, referred to the three-month cease-fire for attacks in Europe declared by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on April 15.

The London-based paper said it had received a statement from the "Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri (al-Qaeda)," the group which claimed responsibility for the March 11 Madrid train bombings that killed about 200 people.

"To the European people: only few days remain for you to accept the truce offered by bin Laden. Otherwise you will have nobody but yourself to blame," the statement was quoted as saying.

In the April 15 audio tape, bin Laden gave Europeans three months to withdraw troops from what he called the countries of the Muslim nation. Bin Laden warned against any "aggression" against countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least seven European nations have troops serving in the multinational force in Iraq: Britain (8,500 troops), Italy (3,000), Poland (2,400), Ukraine (1,576), Netherlands (1,300), Romania (700) and Denmark (500).

Spain withdrew its 1,300 troops from Iraq in April in fulfillment of an election commitment by the Socialist party, which won the March 14 elections.

Asharq al-Awsat, whose offices were closed yesterday for the Islamic sabbath, did not say how it received the statement, but the group has previously sent e-mails to newspapers.

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