- Atlanta - Boston - Chicago - DC Area - Houston - Jersey Area - Los Angeles - New York - SF Bay Area
- Earlier editions
- Astrology - Cricket - Money - Movies - Women - India News - US News
India on Sunday said the Kashmir issue was not one between Hindus and Muslims and pointed out that the warning by Saudi extremist Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda outfit to the United States not to support New Delhi's campaign against terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir was proof of its involvement in promoting terrorism in the country.
Earlier, in a message threatening more suicide attacks on the US and British interests in retaliation for air strikes on Afghanistan, the terrorist group said its 'storm of airplanes' would not end till the US stopped 'supporting Hindus against Muslims in Kashmir' and 'the Jews in Palestine'.
The Al Qaeda threat, delivered by spokesman Suleiman Abu Gaith in a pre-recorded message broadcast early on Sunday by the Qatar-based Al Jazeera satellite television network, was apparently aimed at garnering support for the group from the people of Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state.
"This is yet another indication of the role and involvement of Al Qaeda in promoting terrorism in various parts of the world, including in India," external affairs ministry spokesman Nirupama Rao told IANS.
Rao said such threats would only strengthen India's support to the global campaign against terrorism.
"As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, we would like to underscore the fact that this is not a Hindu-Muslim issue. A vast majority of our Muslim brethren in J&K are firmly opposed to terrorism," she said.
Bin Laden and other members of the Al Qaeda are suspected of plotting the September 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington that killed thousands as well as a spate of anthrax cases discovered in the US over the past week.
New Delhi has often accused bin Laden of having links with leaders of several terrorist groups operating in Kashmir, including the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed, whose assets were frozen by the US on Friday.
The Jaish was placed on the US Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, while the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen has been on the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organisations since 1997.
Maulana Masood Azhar, who founded the Jaish in early 2000, is among militant leaders who, Indian intelligence officials say, are very close to bin Laden.
The Al Qaeda threat was picked up and aired by several Indian television channels.
"The storm of airplanes will not be calmed, if it is God's will," Ghaith said, warning Muslims not to travel by planes and to avoid high-rise buildings in countries that are taking part in military strikes against Afghanistan.
The Al Qaeda would extend 'full support' to the Taleban in facing the US-led strikes, Ghaith said.
Indo-Asian News Service
The War on Terrorism: The Complete Coverage
The Terrorism Weblog: Latest Stories from Around the World
External Link: For further coverage, please visit www.saja.org/roundupsept11.html
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
