"I have already said that we are not
hostile to the United States. We are against the system, which makes
other nations slaves of the United States, or forces them to mortgage
their political and economic freedom. This system is totally in control
of the American Jews, whose first priority is Israel, not the United
States. It is simply that the American people are themselves the slaves
of the Jews and are forced to live according to the principles and laws
laid by them. So, the punishment should reach Israel. In fact, it is
Israel, which is giving a blood bath to innocent Muslims and the US is
not uttering a single word."
Interview With Osama bin Laden
-- Denies His Involvement in 9/11
Full text of Pakistani paper's Sept 01
"exclusive" interview
Daily Ummat in Urdu, BBC translation in English,
2001
Ummat's introduction
Kabul: Prominent Arab mojahed holy warrior Usamah Bin-Ladin has
said that he or his al-Qa'idah group has nothing to do with the 11
September suicidal attacks in Washington and New York. He said the US
government should find the attackers within the country. In an exclusive
interview with daily "Ummat", he said these attacks could be
the act of those who are part of the American system and are rebelling
against it and working for some other system. Or, Usamah said, this could
be the act of those who want to make the current century a century of
conflict between Islam and Christianity. Or, the American Jews, who are
opposed to President Bush ever since the Florida elections, might be the
masterminds of this act. There is also a great possibility of the
involvement of US intelligence agencies, which need billions of dollars
worth of funds every year. He said there is a government within the
government in the United States.
The secret agencies, he said, should be asked as to who are behind the
attacks. Usamah said support for attack on Afghanistan was a matter of
need for some Muslim countries and compulsion for others. However, he
said, he was thankful to the courageous people of Pakistan who erected a
bulwark before the wrong forces. He added that the Islamic world was
attaching great expectations with Pakistan and, in time of need, "we
will protect this bulwark by sacrificing of lives".
Following is the interview in full detail:
Ummat: You have been accused of involvement in the attacks in
New York and Washington. What do you want to say about this? If you are
not involved, who might be?
Usamah [Osama bin Laden]: In the name of Allah, the most
beneficent, the most merciful. Praise be to Allah, Who is the creator of
the whole universe and Who made the earth as an abode for peace, for the
whole mankind. Allah is the Sustainer, who sent Prophet Muhammad for our
guidance. I am thankful to the Ummat Group of Publications, which gave me
the opportunity to convey my viewpoint to the people, particularly the
valiant and Momin true Muslim people of Pakistan who refused to believe
in lie of the demon.
I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in
the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I
had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of
innocent women, children, and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam
strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children, and other
people.
Such a practice is forbidden ever in the course of a battle. It is the
United States, which is perpetrating every maltreatment on women,
children, and common people of other faiths, particularly the followers
of Islam. All that is going on in Palestine for the last 11 months is
sufficient to call the wrath of God upon the United States and
Israel.
There is also a warning for those Muslim countries, which witnessed all
these as a silent spectator. What had earlier been done to the innocent
people of Iraq, Chechnya, and Bosnia?
Only one conclusion could be derived from the indifference of the United
States and the West to these acts of terror and the patronage of the
tyrants by these powers that America is an anti-Islamic power and it is
patronizing the anti-Islamic forces. Its friendship with the Muslim
countries is just a show, rather deceit. By enticing or intimidating
these countries, the United States is forcing them to play a role of its
choice. Put a glance all around and you will see that the slaves of the
United States are either rulers or enemies of Muslims .
The US has no friends, nor does it want to keep any because the
prerequisite of friendship is to come to the level of the friend or
consider him at par with you. America does not want to see anyone equal
to it. It expects slavery from others. Therefore, other countries are
either its slaves or subordinates.
However, our case is different. We have pledged slavery to God Almighty
alone and after this pledge there is no possibility to become the slave
of someone else. If we do that, it will be disregardful to both our
Sustainer and his fellow beings. Most of the world nations upholding
their freedom are the religious ones, which are the enemies of United
States, or the latter itself considers them as its enemies. Or the
countries, which do not agree to become its slaves, such as China, Iran,
Libya, Cuba, Syria, and the former Russia as received .
Whoever committed the act of 11 September are not the friends of the
American people. I have already said that we are against the American
system, not against its people, whereas in these attacks, the common
American people have been killed.
According to my information, the death toll is much higher than what the
US government has stated. But the Bush administration does not want the
panic to spread. The United States should try to trace the perpetrators
of these attacks within itself; the people who are a part of the US
system, but are dissenting against it. Or those who are working for some
other system; persons who want to make the present century as a century
of conflict between Islam and Christianity so that their own
civilization, nation, country, or ideology could survive. They can be any
one, from Russia to Israel and from India to Serbia. In the US itself,
there are dozens of well-organized and well-equipped groups, which are
capable of causing a large-scale destruction. Then you cannot forget the
American Jews, who are annoyed with President Bush ever since the
elections in Florida and want to avenge him.
Then there are intelligence agencies in the US, which require billions of
dollars worth of funds from the Congress and the government every year.
This funding issue was not a big problem till the existence of the former
Soviet Union but after that the budget of these agencies has been in
danger.
They needed an enemy. So, they first started propaganda against Usamah
and Taleban and then this incident happened. You see, the Bush
administration approved a budget of 40bn dollars. Where will this huge
amount go? It will be provided to the same agencies, which need huge
funds and want to exert their importance.
Now they will spend the money for their expansion and for increasing
their importance. I will give you an example. Drug smugglers from all
over the world are in contact with the US secret agencies. These agencies
do not want to eradicate narcotics cultivation and trafficking because
their importance will be diminished. The people in the US Drug
Enforcement Department are encouraging drug trade so that they could show
performance and get millions of dollars worth of budget. General Noriega
was made a drug baron by the CIA and, in need, he was made a scapegoat.
In the same way, whether it is President Bush or any other US president,
they cannot bring Israel to justice for its human rights abuses or to
hold it accountable for such crimes. What is this? Is it not that there
exists a government within the government in the United Sates? That
secret government must be asked as to who made the attacks.
Ummat: A number of world countries have joined the call of the
United States for launching an attack on Afghanistan. These also include
a number of Muslim countries. Will Al-Qa'idah declare a jihad against
these countries as well?
Usamah: I must say that my duty is just to awaken the Muslims; to
tell them as to what is good for them and what is not. What does Islam
says and what the enemies of Islam want?
Al-Qa'idah was set up to wage a jihad against infidelity, particularly to
encounter the onslaught of the infidel countries against the Islamic
states. Jihad is the sixth undeclared element of Islam. The first five
being the basic holy words of Islam, prayers, fast, pilgrimage to Mecca,
and giving alms Every anti-Islamic person is afraid of it. Al-Qa'idah
wants to keep this element alive and active and make it part of the daily
life of the Muslims. It wants to give it the status of worship. We are
not against any Islamic country nor we consider a war against an Islamic
country as jihad.
We are in favour of armed jihad only against those infidel countries,
which are killing innocent Muslim men, women, and children just because
they are Muslims. Supporting the US act is the need of some Muslim
countries and the compulsion of others. However, they should think as to
what will remain of their religious and moral position if they support
the attack of the Christians and the Jews on a Muslim country like
Afghanistan. The orders of Islamic shari'ah jurisprudence for such
individuals, organizations, and countries are clear and all the scholars
of the Muslim brotherhood are unanimous on them. We will do the same,
which is being ordered by the Amir ol-Momenin the commander of the
faithful Mola Omar and the Islamic scholars. The hearts of the people of
Muslim countries are beating with the call of jihad. We are grateful to
them.
Ummat: The losses caused in the attacks in New York and Washington
have proved that giving an economic blow to the US is not too difficult.
US experts admit that a few more such attacks can bring down the American
economy. Why is al-Qa'idah not targeting their economic pillars?
Usamah: I have already said that we are not hostile to the United
States. We are against the system, which makes other nations slaves of
the United States, or forces them to mortgage their political and
economic freedom. This system is totally in control of the American Jews,
whose first priority is Israel, not the United States. It is simply that
the American people are themselves the slaves of the Jews and are forced
to live according to the principles and laws laid by them. So, the
punishment should reach Israel. In fact, it is Israel, which is giving a
blood bath to innocent Muslims and the US is not uttering a single
word.
Ummat: Why is harm not caused to the enemies of Islam through
other means, apart from the armed struggle? For instance, inciting the
Muslims to boycott Western products, banks, shipping lines, and TV
channels.
Usamah: The first thing is that Western products could only be
boycotted when the Muslim fraternity is fully awakened and organized.
Secondly, the Muslim companies should become self-sufficient in producing
goods equal to the products of Western companies. Economic boycott of the
West is not possible unless economic self-sufficiency is attained and
substitute products are brought out. You see that wealth is scattered all
across the Muslim world but not a single TV channel has been acquired
which can preach Islamic injunctions according to modern requirements and
attain an international influence. Muslim traders and philanthropists
should make it a point that if the weapon of public opinion is to be
used, it is to be kept in the hand. Today's world is of public opinion
and the fates of nations are determined through its pressure. Once the
tools for building public opinion are obtained, everything that you asked
for can be done.
Ummat: The entire propaganda about your struggle has so far been
made by the Western media. But no information is being received from your
sources about the network of Al-Qa'idah and its jihadi successes. Would
you comment?
Usamah: In fact, the Western media is left with nothing else. It
has no other theme to survive for a long time. Then we have many other
things to do. The struggle for jihad and the successes are for the sake
of Allah and not to annoy His bondsmen. Our silence is our real
propaganda. Rejections, explanations, or corrigendum only waste your time
and through them, the enemy wants you to engage in things which are not
of use to you. These things are pulling you away from your
cause.
The Western media is unleashing such a baseless propaganda, which make us
surprise but it reflects on what is in their hearts and gradually they
themselves become captive of this propaganda. They become afraid of it
and begin to cause harm to themselves. Terror is the most dreaded weapon
in modern age and the Western media is mercilessly using it against its
own people. It can add fear and helplessness in the psyche of the people
of Europe and the United States. It means that what the enemies of the
United States cannot do, its media is doing that. You can understand as
to what will be the performance of the nation in a war, which suffers
from fear and helplessness.
Ummat: What will the impact of the freeze of al-Qa'idah accounts
by the US?
Usamah: God opens up ways for those who work for Him. Freezing of
accounts will not make any difference for Al-Qa'idah or other jihad
groups. With the grace of Allah, al-Qa'idah has more than three such
alternative financial systems, which are all separate and totally
independent from each other. This system is operating under the patronage
of those who love jihad. What to say of the United States, even the
combined world cannot budge these people from their path.
These people are not in hundreds but in thousands and millions.
Al-Qa'idah comprises of such modern educated youths who are aware of the
cracks inside the Western financial system as they are aware of the lines
in their hands. These are the very flaws of the Western fiscal system,
which are becoming a noose for it and this system could not recuperate in
spite of the passage of so many days.
Ummat: Are there other safe areas other than Afghanistan, where
you can continue jihad?
Usamah: There are areas in all parts of the world where strong
jihadi forces are present, from Indonesia to Algeria, from Kabul to
Chechnya, from Bosnia to Sudan, and from Burma to Kashmir. Then it is not
the problem of my person. I am helpless fellowman of God, constantly in
the fear of my accountability before God. It is not the question of
Usamah but of Islam and, in Islam too, of jihad. Thanks to God, those
waging a jihad can walk today with their heads raised. Jihad was still
present when there was no Usamah and it will remain as such even when
Usamah is no longer there. Allah opens up ways and creates loves in the
hearts of people for those who walk on the path of Allah with their
lives, property, and children. Believe it, through jihad, a man gets
everything he desires. And the biggest desire of a Muslim is the after
life. Martyrdom is the shortest way of attaining an eternal
life.
Ummat: What do you say about the Pakistan government policy on
Afghanistan attack?
Usamah: We are thankful to the Momin and valiant people of
Pakistan who erected a blockade in front of the wrong forces and stood in
the first file of battle. Pakistan is a great hope for the Islamic
brotherhood. Its people are awakened, organized, and rich in the spirit
of faith. They backed Afghanistan in its war against the Soviet Union and
extended every help to the mojahedin and the Afghan people. Then these
are very Pakistanis who are standing shoulder by shoulder with the
Taleban. If such people emerge in just two countries, the domination of
the West will diminish in a matter of days. Our hearts beat with Pakistan
and, God forbid, if a difficult time comes we will protect it with our
blood. Pakistan is sacred for us like a place of worship. We are the
people of jihad and fighting for the defence of Pakistan is the best of
all jihads to us. It does not matter for us as to who rules Pakistan. The
important thing is that the spirit of jihad is alive and stronger in the
hearts of the Pakistani people.
--
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
