Posted on 11/01/2001 10:17:26 AM PST by Eric Esot
AFGHANISTAN has declared holy war on Australia. The Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Salam Zaeef, last night declared Australia a target for retaliation.
Until yesterday, only the US and Britain had been named as enemies of the Taliban, which harbours Osama bin Laden's terrorist network.
"Any person, any military coming to Afghanistan, for invasion, for fighting the people of Afghanistan, we are ready for a jihad," he said.
"Any people who join with the Americans - they are Americans to us."
Answering Australian journalists, he said jihad applied to anyone who joined America in the war on Afghanistan.
Asked if that included Australians in Australia, he replied: "Yes, yes, yes, this is clear."
Mullah Zaeef said the flow of asylum seekers to Australia would not stop until the attacks against Afghanistan ceased.
More than 1500 Australian troops have been committed to join the US and Britain in the war against terrorism.
Prime Minister John Howard last night said Australia was prepared to meet any threat.
He said increased security measures had been put in place after the September 11 terrorist attacks on America.
"We should not ignore this, but we should not overreact," Mr Howard said.
"My message to the Australian people is one of reassurance, but also one of saying we cannot just be brazenly indifferent to this sort of thing."
The Islamic Council of Victoria last night appealed to Australian Muslims to ignore the declaration of a holy war.
Council president Yasser Soliman called on all Muslims to work towards peace. "I would definitely direct all Muslims to ignore any calls for a holy war against Australia," he said. "Muslims should be working with all sectors of Australia for a holy peace.
"I think the Taliban themselves, speaking as Muslims, would have to admit that killing innocent people is also wrong."
But the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan said Australia was wrong for siding with America.
"If they are joining with Americans in coming to Afghanistan the jihad is clear, (it includes) any person who wants to accompany the forces of America," Mr Zaeef said.
Mr Howard condemned the Taliban for portraying the conflict in religious terms. "It is not an issue of religion, it is an issue of good against evil and fighting evil ought to be a common cause among the great religions of the world, of which Islam is clearly one," he said.
"It is the Taliban that is defining this issue in religious terms, it is not the US and it's not Australia."
The United States and Britain have mounted a non-stop bombing campaign in Afghanistan to weaken the Taliban before a ground assault by opposition forces under US guidance.
Special forces troops, including 150 from Australia's Special Air Service, will conduct surgical strikes deep inside Taliban territory.
The Government's Special Incident Task Force will meet to decide the government's response to the new threat.
That task force, led by the Attorney-General's Department, involves all government security agencies, including Defence, which has been on high alert since the September 11 attacks.
A government source said the jihad comments would certainly alter the security posture.
Australia is already on a high security alert and agencies are prepared for a terrorist attack.
Said the same thing to a dickhead in the office, his reply?
Will they lower the taxes?
I almost choked!
But then I thought, 'hmmmm, he is a kiwi...'
The best way to end war and ensure peace is to kill the enemy.
Does anyone ever mention that if Tasmania had USA style concealed weapons laws for ceritfied law abiding citizens, he would have been stopped cold after only a few victims?
Or that a maniac could drive a truck through a picnic at high speed and also kill dozens?
Any chance of a translation?
Its not my job to educate you.
And you had to read my comments before you came to the conclusion that the Taliban wouldnt employ me?
Dear, the Taliban dont employ women.
Comments: Correct grammar isnt a requirement for this forum.
You behave like a 5th Form teacher. You poor baby. Didnt you make it past college?
Let them bring it on, the sooner that we clean this Islam pigsh*t off of the planet, the better.
"Ah, if he didn't use a gun he would just be psycho, a poor sick mentally ill..."
Other forms of deadly force can be rationalised,
but if a maniac uses a gun then it becomes truly evil.
Its the same rhetoric as is used by the socialist gun grabbers in the US.
First it was handguns, rifles and shotguns, then it was knives.
Guess what?, Surprise! There's still crime going on.
While standing in a crowd, I saw an 'urban pioneer' rip his clothing off, stuff it into a ball at the door of a police station in George St, Sydney and set it afire.
An officer came out of the door, stomped it out and then just went back in.
NO one else did anything. Pretended it was not happening.
BTW - We no longer have a Police Force here, it is the Police Service, "Force" being thought too threatening.
Really jj, if you wanted to be a total stickler about grammar you would not accept "didn't" and "isn't". You would have to have "did not" and "is not". Having tutored at law school - people who supposedly got good enough marks in English to get into such a course - Klee's grammar is some of the best I've seen in a while.
And the yardstick for grammar - please tell me the difference between the active and passive tenses and then I will respect your ability to go around telling everyone else to mind their grammar.
And, finally, I quote from the little line above this window that I'm currently typing in:
NO personal attacks
That is all, for now.
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