Imran Khan: War may create more fanatics
Pakistani politician and former international cricketer Imran Khan today warned that the war against terrorism risks spawning many new terrorist organisations run by fanatics modelling themselves on Osama bin Laden.
The heavy bombing of Afghanistan was turning Muslims against the US-led coalition and was causing a groundswell of anti-Western sentiment, Mr Khan said.
As civilian casualties were reported to be mounting in Afghanistan the coalition risks creating armies of terrorists intent on revenge.
Mr Khan, leader of the Pakistan Movement for Justice Party, was speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in central London.
He said: ‘‘We have a situation where we could be faced with a lot of al Qaidas and a lot of Osama bin Ladens.
‘‘I think the most frightening thing is that there are people in Britain who are going to fight for the Taliban which shows the level of feeling from certain Muslims and the feeling of injustice.
‘‘It means that Osama bin Laden is succeeding.’’
Mr Khan, who has attacked the US decision to launch military strikes without presenting enough evidence to pinpoint bin Laden as the figurehead behind the September 11 atrocities, said one country should not act as ‘‘jury, judge and executioner’’.
He said: ‘‘I feel that unless this is treated like a different kind of war I think the world will be a much more dangerous place.
‘‘International terrorism should be fought by international institutions such as the United Nations and the world Court.
‘‘I think that this complex issue needs to be handled in a different way.’’
Mr Khan, who spoke and answered questions for an hour said the Afghan people were largely a medieval race with a limited understanding of the outside world.
He said: ‘‘These people who know nothing about the outside world know that the US is bombing them.
‘‘When I have spoken to these people in the refugee camps they said they disliked the Taliban, they hated the Northern Alliance and they also now hate the United States.
‘‘If al Qaida wants recruits then these people are available to them. These people who have lost families in the bombing are perfect recruits to join al Qaida.
‘‘These people are now fiercely anti the US and I think that this military action, even if it succeeds in its aims, is going to cause more terrorism in the world.’’
