KABUL: The government of President Hamid Karzai denounced the latest recorded message of the elusive al-Qaeda chief as ludicrous and inconsistent with the Islamic culture and core human values. Osama bin Laden has no right to speak on behalf of the sovereign Afghan government and people or comment on the casualties resulting from military operations in the landlocked country, according to the media office at the Presidential Palace here. The Afghan government, which views the multimillionaire Saudi dissident as a key factor behind the imposition of terrorism on the impoverished country in the wake of the Cold War, held Osama bin Laden responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent people and displacement of many more. Even now, the Presidential Palace media office alleged, the worlds most wanted man was causing untold suffering to the Afghans through his efforts to perpetrate more terrorist acts. The Afghans attached little importance to the statements of a man they considered the enemy of international peace, the media office said in a statement mailed to Pajhwok Afghan News.
Having rendered great sacrifices for the liberation of their land, the Afghans could well tell apart their friends and foes, the press release said, adding they desired to forge close cooperation with the international community for the rebuilding of their conflict-devastated country. The Afghans being devout Muslims understand the al-Qaeda leaders actions are absolutely against the injunctions of Islam. The alleged terrorist mastermind had brought a bad name to Muslims and Islam because of his contemptible deeds, it concluded.
Late Thursday night, bin Laden urged European governments to cease military cooperation with the United States and pull their troops out of the war in Afghanistan, which had no link to the September 11 assault on the worlds sole superpower. In a new audio tape aired by Al-Jazeera television, the Saudi fugitive claimed he alone was responsible for the spectacular 9/11 attacks, which killed thousands of people in the United States. Knowing full well the Afghans were in no way involved in the devastating strikes, he said, the US had been hell-bent on invading Afghanistan. But Europe also walked behind America, whose tide was fast ebbing, he added.
The al-Qaeda leader regretted that Europe also swung behind the US when it invaded the landlocked country to avenge the 9/11 attacks. It would be better for the Europeans if they restrained their politicians from streaming to the White House and forced them into initiating steps to compensate the wrong done to oppressed peoples. "By the grace of God, the American tide is ebbing and they would eventually return to their home across the Atlantic, bin Laden remarked in the recorded message, whose authenticity is yet to be verified. The US forces would soon quit the region, leaving AfghanistanÂ’s neighbours to settle their scores, he predicted.
The foreign forces were inflicting atrocities on the Afghans, charged the Saudi dissident, who went on to address the Europeans: "Most victims of bombardments are children and women. And you know our (Muslim) women dont fight but you target them even during festivities to bust the morale of mujahideen.
Europe could only be playing second fiddle to Washington by walking behind the Americans in Afghanistan, the speaker observed. "You entered this war and US soldiers were exempted from accountability in European courts. That is why my message is addressed to you, not to your politicians