Latest Developments in Pakistan December 30, 2007
Posted by محمد الحسن in Pakistan.1 comment so far
Following continued tension in Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has ordered the country’s security forces to end the tension, decisively. After the assassination of People’s Party leader Mrs. Benazir Bhutto Thursday the ensuing tension has left around 50 people killed and millions of dollars of damages.
Although the government says al-Qaeda was responsible for the assassination, the People’s Party has called for full investigation into the matter. The broadcast of a film showing someone shooting toward Bhutto has led to intensified differences between this party and the government on how Bhutto was killed. Thus the government has announced its readiness for more investigation.
Meanwhile the holding of the January 8th parliamentary elections have been placed in ambiguity. Although the government has not yet decided about this issue the electoral commission is to make a decision in this regard. Leader of the Muslim League Party Nawaz Sharif has called for the elections to be postponed until conditions are ready.
The government believes terrorist and rioters intend to take advantage of the country’s situation to delay the elections and make political instability continue in the country. At any rate Musharraf’s order to the security forces could make the situation more critical, something that will be to the terrorists’ benefit and that of foreign interventionist powers.
That is why establishing peace in Pakistan requires cooperation between all factions. Since Pakistani parties are getting ready for the elections, establishing peace and confronting the terrorists is more than ever required, and this needs cooperation among the government and political groups.
IRIB
Bin Laden urges against US ‘plots’ December 30, 2007
Posted by محمد الحسن in Al-Qaeda, USA.add a comment
Osama bin Laden has accused the US of plotting to take control of Iraq’s oil and urged Iraqis to reject efforts to rebuild a US-backed national unity government.
In a new audio recording, the al-Qaeda leader also threatened more attacks against Israel and to expand his group’s so-called holy war, or jihad, to Jerusalem and Palestine.
The authenticity of the tape could not be verified.
In it, bin Laden urged Iraqis to reject a plan which he said meant “to give the Americans all they wish of Iraq’s oil” and said those who take part in a unity government would be turning their backs on Islam.
He also urged Iraqis not to join the Awakening Councils which are predominantly Sunni tribal police funded by the US military to fight al-Qaeda and reduce violence.
“I advise those who follow the path of temptation should wash out this disgrace by repentance,” he said in the 56-minute recording posted on the internet on Saturday.
US progress
“This participation [in the Awakening Councils] is a great apostasy and sedition that will lead them to Hell.”
The release of the recording comes as the US and the Iraqi interior ministry claim they have the al-Qaeda organisation in Iraq on the run.
Several hours before the tape was issued, General David Petraeus, the most senior US commander in Iraq, said al-Qaeda was becoming increasingly fearful over losing the support of Sunnis and had begun targeting the leaders of the tribal councils who have switched allegiances to the US.
Bin Laden also criticised the Saudi government for supporting US policies in Iraq.
“The government of Riyadh is still playing its wicked roles,” he said.
The recording was posted on the website where al-Qaeda’s media arm, al-Sahab, issues the group’s messages.
A US counter-terrorism official said Washington was aware of the recording and was looking into it.
“There has never been a fake bin Laden tape, so there really wouldn’t be any reason going in to believe it would be anything other than authentic,” the official said.
Palestine threat
The tape was the latest message from al-Qaeda leaders trying to patch up divisions among groups in Iraq and rally Sunnis behind al-Qaeda.
On December 16 bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, branded those who work with the anti-Qaeda tribal councils as traitors and called for Sunnis to purge anyone co-operating with the Americans.
Also in Saturday’s tape, bin Laden promised to widen al-Qaeda’s fight to include Israel, stepping up the organisation’s attempts to use the Israeli-Arab conflict to rally supporters.
“I would like to assure our people in Palestine that we will expand our jihad there,” bin Laden said.
Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders frequently vow to liberate Jerusalem and Palestine in their messages, but the latest comments were more direct.
Israel has warned of growing al-Qaeda activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, but the network is not believed to have taken a strong direct role there so far.
“We will not recognise even one inch for Jews in the land of Palestine as other Muslim leaders have,” bin Laden said.
The tape did not refer to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan on Thursday.
AGENCIES
Bhutto’s party to decide successor December 30, 2007
Posted by محمد الحسن in Pakistan.add a comment
The political party of Benazir Bhutto, the late Pakistani opposition leader, is meeting in southern Pakistan to choose her successor and decide whether to contest or boycott elections due in a little over a week.
Bhutto’s assassination three days earlier has thrown into doubt the January 8 poll and stoked violence, killing at least 47 people.
Rioters have destroyed 176 banks, 34 petrol stations, 72 train cars, 18 rail stations, and hundreds of cars and shops.
The election commission said nine election offices, with the voter rolls and ballot boxes inside, were also wrecked.
With the printing of ballot slips and the training of poll workers hampered, the commission has called an emergency meeting for Monday.
Fuelling the protests in Pakistan’s streets is distrust of Pervez Musharraf, the president, and his administration’s contention that Bhutto was killed by al-Qaeda.
Abu Bakr, a Bhutto supporter, told Al Jazeera: “This is a conspiracy. Musharraf has hatched this conspiracy. Al-Qaeda has not done this. This was a plot by Musharraf.”
AGENCIES
