Opinions split over Bin Laden's call to wage holy war against Musharraf

Peshawar: A call from Osama Bin Laden for holy war against President Musharraf and the army found resonance yesterday among some in the country's conservative northwest but others rejected the cry for jihad as interference.

In a web audio tape issued on Thursday, a speaker purported to be Bin Laden vowed to retaliate against "infidel" Musharraf, his government and army for an assault on Red Mosque, or Las Masjid, in July.

A militant cleric leading a Taliban-style movement and about 100 of his followers were killed when commandos stormed the Red Mosque compound to clear out gunmen.

Al Qaida has in the past called for the assassination of Musharraf whose war-on-terror alliance with the United States is deeply unpopular in Pakistan, even among the vast majority who abhor militant violence.

"It's now obligatory on Pakistanis to wage jihad against Musharraf because he's pitting Muslims against Muslims for the sake of America," said Iqbal Hussain, a car washer from Peshawar.

Suicide attacks and abductions of members of the security forces have surged since the Red Mosque assault and the collapse of a 10-month peace pact in the North Waziristan area on the Afghan border.

Abdullah Khan, a shopkeeper in the town of Chaman on the Afghan border said Musharraf had turned Pakistan into a "slave of America".

"Osama has given the right message because Musharraf is working on America's agenda in Pakistan. He's killing people in the name of the fight against terrorism," Khan said.

"The people should stand up against Musharraf and remove him to stop Muslim bloodshed."

But such views were far from universal.

"Musharraf's government is an internal issue of Pakistan. Osama Bin Laden shouldn't interfere," said Abdul Ghani, a Chaman car mechanic.

Another Chaman resident, Hafiz Abdul Qayyum, said Bin Laden "didn't believe in democracy".

I wonder why against the USA, Al Qaida posts very good quality videos (which is usually when Bush is in trouble) but for Mr. Musharraf it just sent a recording. It doesn't seem all right to me. These could possibly be the last strategy the opposition could use against the man who is out to take Pakistan to high levels of advancement.
Hamza
London,UK
Posted: September 22, 2007, 15:16

It is due to Musharraf that Pakistan today is being lifted from down under.
Raynold
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 22, 2007, 15:10

Osama Bin Laden will declare war against General Musharraf only because he is fighting against extremism and terrorism. Al Qaida and the Taliban are deteriorating the image of Islam drastically and killing people to take the name of Jihad but we must unite against radicals and fundamentalism.
Binish
Karachi,Pakistan
Posted: September 22, 2007, 13:50

Osama Bin Laden and Pervez Musharraf are just making too much noise prior to the Pakistani elections.
Shehzad
Mardan,Pakistan
Posted: September 22, 2007, 09:02

This report is nothing but a poor survey of the different opinions that exist in Pakistan. One thing is very clear: even an illiterate Pakistani would never agree to launch a so-called holy war against the president.
Naeem
Al Ain,UAE
Posted: September 22, 2007, 05:26

Bin Ladin and his Taliban are dictators who spread not love and mercy but hate.
Waqar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 22, 2007, 04:34

Musharraf has performed far better than the so-called democratic goverment of the past. In order to keep the continuity of his policies, he should be elected to the post of president. Osama Bin Ladin is no friend of Pakistan. He should not misguide the people of Pakistan with his negative propoganda.
From a reader
Hanover Park,USA
Posted: September 22, 2007, 04:28