Al Qaeda tells Obama conditional truce offer stands

zoom

BARACK OBAMA: US president will dismiss latest Al Qaeda offer. (Getty Images)

Al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri said a truce offered to the last US administration was still on the table, but President Barack Obama must withdraw troops from Muslim lands and meet other demands.

"If Obama wants to (reach) an understanding then he should respond to Sheikh Osama (bin Laden's) two offers," Zawahri said in an interview with al Qaeda's media arm As-sahab, posted on an Islamist website on Monday.

Zawahri warned that militants would continue to fight "until doomsday" unless their conditions were met. "The minimum the mujahideen would accept (includes) ... the exit of infidel troops from all of the land of Islam and an end to stealing Muslims' wealth under the threat of military power".

Zawahri said the conditions also include that Western countries stop backing "corrupt and apostate regimes in the Muslim world" and the release of all detained Muslims.

The "fair offers" bin Laden had made to the United States and European nations were meant "for them to stop their aggression against Muslims and start a relationship that is based on interests instead of oppression and looting", said the Egyptian militant in the 90-minute interview.

"(But) they insist that the relationship should be based on oppressing us and doing us injustice," he said.

Bin Laden said in 2006 "we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stand by ... a truce which offers security and stability and the rebuilding of Iraq and Afghanistan which war has destroyed."

The United States at the time dismissed the offer, saying it "does not negotiate with terrorists."

Zawahri criticised Obama's effort to ease tensions with Muslims aggravated by predecessor George W. Bush, who waged wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001 and 2003.

"He is like a wolf whose fangs are ripping through your (Muslims) flesh and his claws grabbing your face and both are dripping with your blood, then he says stop your defence because he wants peace with you."

"Obama is trying to sell illusions to the ... weak," Zawahri said of Obama's drive. "He is trying to say do not hate us .... but we will continue to kill you..."

Zawahri attributed the change from the language of former US President George W. Bush to the "victories" of the Islamist fighters.

He also said Obama was backing Israel at the expense of Palestinians and said the Jewish state should be wiped off the map. "Israel is a crime that should be removed."

Zawahri said Obama's policy over Israeli-Palestinian issues was bound to end in failure for the Palestinians.

Al Qaeda has no recognisable presence in Israel, or in the Palestinian Territories which are dominated by the Islamist group Hamas and the secular Fatah movement led by US-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM