Bin Laden urges Pakistanis to battle Americans
Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden called on Pakistani Muslims to fight in an internet message today – saying their country and neighbouring Afghanistan faced an American invasion.
The authenticity of the statement, which appeared on a website known as a clearinghouse for militant Muslim comment, could not be verified.
“We urge our Muslim brothers in Pakistan to use all their capabilities and whatever they possess to prevent the American crusader’s troops from invading Pakistan and Afghanistan,” said the statement, signed: “your brother in Islam, Osama bin Laden.”
The statement also referred to deaths during an anti-US protest in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city.
While violent protests have occurred elsewhere in Pakistan, there have been no reports of a demonstration in Karachi that resulted in fatal clashes.
The Arabic station Al-Jazeera received and aired on October 29 the latest bin Laden video, in which he directly acknowledged for the first time that he ordered the 9/11 attacks and criticised President George Bush.
Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in a mountainous Afghan-Pakistani border area, having fled there after a US invasion toppled his Taliban hosts following the 9/11 attacks.
Today’s web statement included a pledge to Pakistani Muslims that “we are steadfast on the path of holy war … with the true believers of the heroic Afghan people, under the leadership of Mullah Mohammed Omar.”
Taliban leader Mullah Omar disappeared along with bin Laden in the wake of the US invasion.
| Related Stories: |
|
