Osama renews call for jehad

NNI
June 26, 2000

RAWALPINDI (NNI): Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden has called upon the Muslims of the world to wage jehad (holy war) against the anti-Muslim forces which are perpetrating atrocities on them.

"You are fully aware that the Jews and Christians have, through their machinations, occupied the Muslim holy sites in Haramain Sharifain and in Palestine. We have to play an extremely important role to break their shackles," bin Laden said in a message marking the publication of Shuhada-e-Jamiat No. of Jamiat Talaba-e-Arabia's magazine Mishkat-ul-Misbah.

The letter, carrying bin Laden's full name printed in bold letters on top and his signatures at bottom, said it was evident that the Jews and Christians were archetypal enemies of the Muslims. "God says they can never be your friend until you start following them. Therefore Jehad against both of them is incumbent upon the Muslims," he said.

Laden, whom the United States accuses of having masterminded attacks on its facilities worldwide, further said that besides occupying and sacrilege of Muslim holy places were also plundering their wealth and resources.

"How can we remain silent spectator to this situation. It is the joint duty of Muslims to wage jehad against the Jews and Christians," he said, and added all efforts could yield fruit only if the enemy was defeated at every front.

"It is therefore necessary that unflagging efforts are made for the liberation of the Muslim holy places, Kashmir, Palestine and other oppressed Muslim territories."

This, he said, was imperative to regain the lost grace. He said US and Israeli attacks against weaker Muslim states were an emblem of their confusion.

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