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I'm not afraid of death: Osama

K J M Varma in Islamabad

Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has said that he had no difficulty in finding a safer place outside Afghanistan, as his hideouts ranged from Indonesia to Algeria, Chechnya to Kashmir and Bosnia to Sudan.

In an interview to Pakistan's Urdu weekly Takbeer, Laden said there was no problem finding hideouts from where he could carry out his "mission", as he had plenty of safer places in a number of countries other than Afghanistan.

"I am not afraid of death because I have to kiss martyrdom one day," Laden, prime suspect in last month's terror strikes in the United States, was quoted as saying.

The weekly had not specified from where and when it obtained the interview.

Stating that he considered Pakistan a sacred land and the abode of pure people, Laden said the Pakistanis would protect him without caring for their lives.

"Pakistan is a great hope for the Muslims of the entire world... Pakistanis are ready to fight against the enemies of Islam."

He said had there been such "valiant Muslims in two other Islamic states", there would have been no dominance of the West over the world.

The Saudi renegade said fighting for the security of Pakistan was the greatest jihad, as "Pakistan is the fort of Islam irrespective of those in power."

Laden said since he had become the "slave of God", he couldn't accept the hegemony of any powers on the earth for fear of risk to his life.

Denying involvement of any of his compatriots in the suicide attacks in the US, Laden said Islam prohibited killing of innocent people.

He alleged that the attacks might be the handiwork of India, Israel, Russia or Serbia.

Laden also said the freezing of his network Al-Qaeda's assets would make no difference because the organisation had more than three alternative financial systems, which were free and independent.

"Hundreds of thousands of well-educated people are running the affairs of these institutions."

He said the main task of Al-Qaeda was to "awaken" the Muslims so that they could wage a jihad against the "infidels".

"We are not against any Islamic country. Rather we are against those Muslim rulers who are out to make their countrymen slaves of infidels," he said.

He said, "We are in favour of launching an armed struggle against these Muslim rulers. We are not against the US. But we are against its diabolic system and policy. The American system is in the hands of the Jews and their first priority is Israel."

Alleging that the Americans were slaves of the Jews, Laden said, "They are bound to follow the policies that Jews are making for them."

Stating that the Al-Qaeda wanted to rid the US of Jewish influence, he said his organisation did not have any intention of punishing innocent Americans.

"We want to give a punishment to Israelis that would serve as an eye opener for generations to come."

PTI

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