Obscure group claims responsibility for bombing, Pearl murder
PESHAWAR- A spokesman of a little known organisation, Hezbullah Alami, on Sunday claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts in Karachi and Islamabad and the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl and threatened more attacks in a bid to topple the government of President General Pervez Musharraf.
In a mobile phone call from an undisclosed location, the spokesman identified himself as Musa and said his organization had declared “jehad” against the Musharraf government because it was siding with the US and other enemies of Islam against the Muslims. “Jihad has become incumbent on all Muslims here because Pakistan has been turned into a Darul Kufr and Darul Harb by the Musharraf regime,” he argued.
Musa claimed the Hezbullah Alami had earlier in January and February attacked a militia camp in Thakot in Battagram district and police posts in Shangla district in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). “We accept responsibility for the bomb explosion in the church in Islamabad and the car bomb blast targeting the French technicians in Karachi.”
“The Hezbullah had kidnapped and murdered Daniel Pearl and his body would be found once we identify the place of his burial,” he claimed. According to Musa, the Hezbullah first surfaced about four to five years ago in Darel valley of Diamer district in the Northern Areas. He said the organization was renamed Al-Saiqa when Major General (retd) Zaheerul Islam Abbasi founded a group by the name of Hezbullah after his release from prison.
“We have again started using the name Hezbullah in place of Al-Saiqa now that General Abbasi has chosen another name for his organization. In future, we would claim responsibility for every attack against Westerners and also the Musharraf regime,” he stressed. The Hezbullah spokesman argued that their organization decided to wage armed struggle against the Musharraf government when it joined hands with the US to harm Muslims. He said friendship with the US would eventually lead to the fall of General Musharraf.
“All those opposed to the US worldview are being branded as al-Qaeda and Taliban and captured and killed in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Musharraf regime is targeting Muslims to appease the US. Taliban ambassador Abdul Salam Zaeef was arrested and delivered to the US in violation of every law and norms. The government mobilized all its forces to save Daniel Pearl and recover his body but it failed to lodge any protest when hundreds of Muslims are being killed by the US and its allies in our region and in rest of the world,” he maintained.
Musa said the time for holding protest rallies and sloganeering was over. He said only through “jehad” would the Muslims be able to safeguard their religion, self-respect and sovereignty. “Pakistan handed over its airbases to the US and provided intelligence it had gathered over the years in Afghanistan to the Americans. All our resources were used by the US to target Afghan Muslims and kill hundreds of innocent Muslims. Our patience ran out and we decided to fight our rulers who are busy implementing the American agenda,” he said.
Describing the replacement of the Musharraf government with an Islamic regime as their ultimate goal, Musa said he and Riaz Basra were allies for a while before parting company due to their conflicting stance on a host of issues. “Basra wanted to fight the Shias while my emphasis was that we ought to tackle the enemies of Muslims. Our enemy is the US and the Musharraf government and our goal is Islamic revolution,” he contended.
Using strong language to denounce President Musharraf, the Hezbullah spokesman said the government knew his identity and that of his colleagues. But he said he was unconcerned that he would be nabbed and punished. “Such considerations don’t count when one embarks on the path of martyrdom,” he remarked. He also criticised Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Moinuddin Haider and NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah and accused them of pursuing disastrous policies.
Insisting that the Hezbullah had no links with other militant Islamic organisations, Musa said it was operating on its own in different parts of the country. He also said Hezbullah had no relationship with Omar Saeed Sheikh and others charged with the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl.
“Omar Saeed Sheikh has nothing to do with the murder of the American journalist. He fought “Jihad” against India in Kashmir and deserves appreciation rather than harassment,” he added.
Source: The News
Date:5/20/2002
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