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BIN
LADEN DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN SEPTEMBER 11 AND ASKS U.S. TO “LIVE AND LET
LIVE”
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BIN LADEN |
ISLAMABAD,
November 10 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Osama bin Laden, the man whom
the U.S. considers the “most wanted” man in the world, gave his first
interview since the September 11 attacks today and asked the U.S. - currently
engaged in massive military attacks on Afghanistan - to “live and let live,”
a simple formula he says even a child can understand.
Bin
Laden also went on to deny responsibility for the September 11 attacks.
In
a special interview for the Pakistani daily newspaper, The Dawn, bin Laden spoke
to Hamid Mir, editor of Pakistani daily, Ausaf, at an undisclosed location near
Kabul.
Mir
was taken, blindfolded, in a jeep from Kabul on the night of November 7 to a
place he says was extremely cold and where one could hear the sound of
anti-aircraft guns firing away.
After
some time, bin Laden arrived with about a dozen bodyguards and his right-hand
man, Ayman Al-Zawahiri. The interview constituted the first one given by bin
Laden to any journalist since the attacks on New York and Washington.
Responding to a question on how killing is justified in the light of Islamic
teachings, bin Laden said, “if an enemy occupies a Muslim territory and uses
common people as human shield, then it is permitted to attack that enemy.”
“For
instance, if bandits barge into a home and hold a child hostage,” he said,
“then the child's father can attack the bandits and in that attack.” Bin
Laden added that the U.S. and its allies had massacred Muslims in Palestine,
Chechnya, Kashmir and Iraq and that the Muslims have the right to attack America
in reprisal.
“Islamic
Shari’ah [law] says Muslims should not live in the land of the infidel
[unbeliever] for long. The September 11 attacks were not targeted at women and
children. The real targets were America's icons of military and economic
power,” said bin Laden.
Bin Laden further explained, “The Holy Prophet [Mohammad, peace be upon him]
was against killing women and children. When he saw a dead woman during a war,
he asked, ‘Why was she killed?’ ”
Mir
stated to MSNBC earlier this morning that bin Laden denied being responsible for
the September 11 attacks and said that the 19 men the U.S. has declared as
hijackers and perpetrators of the attacks were nothing more than passengers.
The
Saudi dissident reminded the American people that they pay taxes to their
government, elect their president, and that their government manufactures arms
and gives them to Israel, which uses them to massacre Palestinians.
“The
American Congress endorses all government measures and this proves that the
entire America is responsible for the atrocities perpetrated against Muslims.
The entire America, because they elect the Congress.”
Bin Laden asked the American people put pressure on their government to give up
anti-Muslim policies, saying that, “the American people had risen against
their government's war in Vietnam. They must do the same today.”
“We
are carrying on the mission of our Prophet Mohammad [peace be upon him],” said
bin Laden. “The mission is to spread the word of God, not to indulge [in]
massacring people. We ourselves are the target of killings, destruction and
atrocities. We are only defending ourselves.”
The Saudi exile rejected fatwas (religious edicts) saying that his views and
beliefs have nothing to do with Islam.
“History
is full of such Ulema [scholars] who justify Riba [usury], who justify the
occupation of Palestine by the Jews, who justify the presence of American troops
around Harmain Sharifain [Saudi Arabian cities of Mecca and Medina]. These
people support the infidels for their personal gain.”
In
his interview, bin Laden declared that if the United States used chemical or
nuclear weapons against him, then he may also respond with chemical and nuclear
weapons. “We have the weapons as deterrent,” he said, while refusing to say
where he got the weapons.
The
Pentagon blew off bin Laden’s claims of chemical and nuclear weapons, saying
there is no evidence to support his claims.
Bin
Laden praised the demonstrations that have been held in many European countries
against American attacks on Afghanistan. There “are many innocent and
good-hearted people in the West,” he said. “American media instigates them
against Muslims. However, some good-hearted people are protesting against
American attacks because human nature abhors injustice.”
“If America got out of Saudi Arabia and the Al-Aqsa mosque was liberated,”
Mir asked bin Laden, “would you then present yourself for trial in some Muslim
country?”
“Only
Afghanistan is an Islamic country,” replied bin Laden. “Pakistan follows the
English law. I don't consider Saudi Arabia an Islamic country. If the Americans
have charges against me, we too have a charge sheet against them.”
Bin
Laden said that he has been disappointed by the stance taken by Pakistani
military President General Pervez Musharraf. He said the Pakistani government
should not have surrendered to the demands of America. “America does not have
solid proof against us. It just has some surmises. It is unjust to start bombing
on the basis of those surmises.”
“He
[Musharraf] says that the majority is with him,” added bin Laden. “I say the
majority is against him. Bush has used the word ‘crusade’. This is a crusade
declared by Bush. It is no wisdom to barter off blood of Afghan brethren to
improve Pakistan's economy. He will be punished by the Pakistani people and
Allah.”
Mir wrote in The Dawn that “Osama bin Laden is a man at ease, even though he
feels the Americans will eventually kill him.”
Mir
said that he first met with bin Laden in 1997 and then again in 1998. He added
that when he saw bin Laden this time, he found him greatly changed.
“Previously
he was very soft-spoken," the 36-year-old Mir told Agence-France Press
(AFP). "But now he speaks like an experienced orator. He is very
hard-hitting. He was in high spirits. He's very healthy and he laughs a lot.”
The world's most hunted man, bin Laden feels certain the Americans will kill him
sooner or later, according to Mir.
"He told me, 'I am ready to die.' He said, 'I know that they can bomb this
place also. They are not aware that I am present here. But they are dropping
bombs blindly everywhere. So I may get killed even with you.’ "
"My cause will continue after my death," Mir quoted bin Laden as
saying. "They think they will solve this problem by killing me. It's not
easy to solve this problem. This war has been spread all over the world."
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