[Peace-discuss] Osama & Obama together vs. FOB Musharraf

[C. G. Estabrook]

[FOB = Friend of Bill (Clinton)/Friend of Bush]

	Bin Laden urges uprising against Musharraf
	Haroon Siddique and agencies
	Thursday September 20, 2007
	Guardian Unlimited

Osama bin Laden today called on Pakistanis to "rebel against the 
apostate" Pervez Musharraf in a video message posted on the internet.

The footage, on an islamist militant website, featured the al-Qaida 
leader's voice over previously released footage of him.

In what was the third message from Bin Laden this month, he described 
Gen Musharraf as an infidel, condemning the president's closeness to the US.

He said the decision to send the military into the Red mosque in 
Islamabad in July had "demonstrated Musharraf's insistence on continuing 
his loyalty, submissiveness and aid to America against the Muslims ... 
and makes armed rebellion against him and removing him obligatory".

The message added: "So when the capability is there, it is obligatory to 
rebel against the apostate ruler, as is the case now," according to a 
transcript of the tape released by Laura Mansfield, a US expert on 
terrorism who monitors militant messages.

The fighting at the Red mosque left at least 102 people - including 
Abdul Rashid Ghazi, one of the militant leaders - dead.

Bin Laden said Ghazi and his followers had been killed for seeking the 
application of Sharia Islamic law.

"So Pervez, his ministers, his soldiers and those who help him are all 
accomplices in the spilling the blood of those of the Muslims who have 
been killed," he said.

"He who helps him knowingly and willingly is an infidel like him."

Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in the border area of Afghanistan and 
Pakistan.

In Islamabad, Major General Waheed Arshad, a Pakistan army spokesman, 
said: "Such threats, issued through videos or in any other way, cannot 
deter us from fulfilling our national duty.

"We have the aim and objective, as our national duty, to eliminate 
terrorists and eradicate extremism."

In a video posted on the same website earlier, Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman 
al-Zawahri, said the US was losing battles in Afghanistan and Iraq, as 
well as on other fronts.

The 80-minute video message also condemned the Pakistani military over 
the Red mosque.

"Let the Pakistani army know that the killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi and 
his male and female students ... has soaked the history of the Pakistan 
army in shame and despicableness which can only washed away by 
retaliation," he said.

Zawahri called for attacks on French and Spanish interests in north 
Africa and on the UN and African peacekeepers due to be deployed in Darfur.

The Taliban commander, Dadullah Mansoor, was also featured in the video, 
threatening to "focus our attacks, Allah willing, on the coalition 
forces in Afghanistan".

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007