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Islamic party warns US against attacking Afghanistan |
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December 5, 2000
QUETTA, Pakistan--(UNB/AP) - An orthodox religious party threatened Monday to attack Americans living in Pakistan if Washington attacks neighboring Afghanistan, where suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden lives. "America is very close to attacking Afghanistan to get Osama," said Maulana Abdul Ghani, acting president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, which espouses an Islamic system akin to that which is practiced by the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan. There women are barred from working, girls from attending school and men are required to wear a beard and attend the mosque for prayers five times a day. "We warn Americans that if they attack Afghanistan, we will attack American citizens here," he told a news conference. The warning comes amid almost daily speculation in newspapers in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan of a possible retaliatory strike against bin Laden because of his suspected involvement in last month's attack on a U.S. ship that killed 17 American sailors. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is a staunch supporter of the Taliban, who rule more than 95 percent of Afghanistan. Many of the Taliban leaders have been educated in religious schools in Pakistan which are run by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. Ghani said thousands of members of its military wing, Ansar-ul Islam, have been put on alert. Bin Laden, who has been living in Afghanistan since 1996, is wanted by the United States for his alleged involvement in the bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa in August 1998. Following the twin bombings, the U.S. fired dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles at eastern Afghanistan where it was believed bin Laden was operating military training camps. Several people, mostly Pakistani members of militant Islamic groups, were killed. Bin Laden escaped unhurt. Washington wants bin Laden to stand a trial for the bombing either in the United States or in a third country. In November 1999 the United Nations imposed sanctions on Afghanistan in an attempt to force the Taliban to bow to the U.S. demand. The Taliban have refused to hand over bin Laden, whom they consider a guest and a fellow Muslim. |