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Politics : The Palestinian Hoax -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (3304)	1/20/2003 9:23:54 AM
From: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck	Respond to of 3467

Bin Laden urges Islamic groups to unite: report POSTED AT 4:22 PM EST Sunday, January 19 Associated Press Cairo — A statement purportedly written by Osama bin Laden urges Muslims to stop fighting each other and unite against the "crusader coalition" that is attacking the Islamic world, according to excerpts published Sunday in a London-based Arab newspaper. Asharq Al-Awsat printed portions of a 26-page statement it claims was written and signed by Mr. bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaeda terror group. The letter did not mention any nation, but earlier statements attributed to Mr. bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders have accused the United States and Israel of launching a religious crusade against the Muslim world. The journalist who wrote the article, Mohamed el-Shaf'aie, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the statement was mailed to the paper from an Islamic source in London with close links to a Pakistan-based Islamic research center known for its ties to al-Qaeda. The letter attributed to Mr. bin Laden says, "the current situation Muslims are living in requires a deployment of all efforts to fight the Islamic battle against the crusader coalition, which has revealed its real, evil intentions." "Their target now is Islam and Muslims and not only the [Middle East] region," the letter added. The letter did not mention any nation, but earlier statements attributed to Mr. bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders have accused the United States and Israel of launching a religious crusade against the Muslim world. America has come under attack throughout the Islamic world for a perceived bias toward Israel in the Jewish state's conflict with the Palestinians, and for the U.S. threat to attack Iraq if it retains weapons banned by the United Nations. The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, launched after the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States, and U.S. detention of hundreds of men with suspected links to al-Qaeda and Afghanistan's previous Taliban rulers have compounded the view in the Islamic world that Washington is attacking Muslims. The United States denies such claims. Despite numerous written, audio and videotaped statements attributed to bin Laden after the launch of the Afghanistan war, it is unclear where the Saudi-born Islamic extremist is or if he is still alive. No al-Qaeda affiliated Web sites immediately published the latest statement, which normally happens whenever one appears. The statement excerpts published by Asharq Al-Awsat urge Muslims to "wake from their deep sleep ... and stop [acting as] rivals and fire their arrows toward their enemies instead of themselves." It was not clear who the letter referred to, but feuds and disputes are common within the volatile Middle East. The statement's author said he was "surprised by the many different controversies and feuds among Muslims in general and those working for Islam in particular. Such a dangerous phenomenon has become the only thing Islamic-oriented factions agree upon." The letter also defends al-Qaeda leaders for unspecified mistakes. "The honor of righteous men should be protected despite whatever faults they may commit," the letter said without elaborating.

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (3304)	1/24/2003 9:38:22 AM
From: lorne	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3467

Hamas Rejects Egyptian Truce Plan January 23, 2003, 12:17 PM EST CAIRO, Egypt -- Hamas and Islamic Jihad will not agree to an Egyptian proposal for a one-year truce with Israel, representatives of the militant Muslim groups said Thursday. "Our position is clear ... we as a movement don't accept any truce in our resistance to the occupation," Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press in Cairo. Hamdan was in Cairo for a meeting of Palestinian factions scheduled to start Friday to discuss an Egyptian proposal that included the truce. Other parties to the talks share Hamas' view, Hamdan said, citing Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades within Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fatah movement. Egypt, according to a draft of the proposal already with the delegates, envisions Palestinian factions agreeing to freeze "military acts" for one year to give peace efforts a chance. It also hopes regional and international leaders would in turn pressure Israel to return to negotiations, withdraw from Palestinian territories and cease its policy of assassinating militant leaders. Abdullah Shami, a leader of Islamic Jihad, said in Gaza that his group also won't accept a truce. "We are committed to our strategy and our belief in God," Shami said. "All of them (Israelis) are killers and all of them are bloodsuckers ... and they are united against the Palestinians, and we should be united until we defeat them and achieve our rights." The Cairo meetings were to bring together members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, including Fatah, and Syrian-backed radical groups as well as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The talks were postponed from Wednesday following requests to include two hard-line Syrian-based Palestinian factions, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command and the Saaqa faction. Egypt agreed to invite them and the meeting was rescheduled. Egypt holds that a cease-fire would weaken Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's popularity and boost the election chances of dovish Israeli opposition leader Amram Mitzna ahead of Israeli parliamentary elections next week. Mitzna wants an immediate resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. Hamas officials had indicated they would accept a cease-fire but asked for guarantees from Israel to stop attacking its leaders. Hamdan said he knew of no Israeli guarantees. Israel "will read any truce as a surrender .... We can't offer that to the Israelis," Hamdan said. The last suicide operation against Israelis was the deadliest in a year, when 22 people were killed Jan. 5 in Tel Aviv. Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claimed responsibility. newsday.com