We will target US embassy and military headquarters in future - Taliban
spokesman
23/02/2012
By Mohammed Al Shafey
London, Asharq Al-Awsat - Afghanistan has returned to the headlines once
more, with the recent escalation of violence in the south, and greater
attention being paid to the peace negotiations that are taking place in
Kabul. In addition to this, the extremist organization has opened a
political office in Qatar, and is reportedly in the process of opening other
political offices elsewhere.
In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Taliban spokesman Mullah
Qari Mohammed Yousef Ahmadi spoke about the US reconciliation efforts with
the Taliban, the political future of the extremist movement, as well as the
situation in Afghanistan today. The Afghan Taliban spokesman also spoke
about the Taliban suicide attack against the heavily fortified diplomatic
district of Kabul last year, as well as the extremist group's views on
girls' education and women's rights in Afghanistan.
The following is the full text of the interview:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your opinion about the reports that Washington has
agreed to the proposal to allow the Afghan Taliban to open a political
office in Qatar? The British press is reporting that this represents a
critical step on the road to reconciliation with the Taliban, more than a
decade after the 9/11 attacks?
[Ahmadi] Yes, this is true.after the US and its allies failed to militarily
control the "Islamic Emirate" [the Taliban refers to itself as the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan], it has been forced to deal with us, and this is by
opening the door to direct dialogue. The Islamic Emirate will play its role
following the opening of this office, which will serve the jihadist
interests, guarantee the end of occupation and bring security to
Afghanistan.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What are the Taliban's major conditions for entering
negotiations?
[Ahmadi] Our conditions during the negotiations will be an end to occupation
and for the US to leave the affairs of Afghanistan to the Afghan people.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think the Arab Spring will reach Afghanistan?
[Ahmadi] There can be no doubt that the Afghan resistance against the
occupiers during the past century, and the ongoing efforts of the Afghan
people against US occupation and its NATO allies, have inspired the
resistance of the vulnerable people in the world and prompted them to revolt
against regimes that are ruling them against their will. We must therefore
say that the "resistance spring" against the occupiers began in Afghanistan
and ended, by the grace of God, with the autumn of US hegemony and the
collapse of its authoritarian regimes in the Arab world.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Does the Taliban intend to open other political offices in
Saudi Arabia, Libya, Turkey, Egypt, and elsewhere, as is being claimed by
some?
[Ahmadi] After 10 years of jihad and steadfastness on the part of the Afghan
people against the arrogant occupiers, the entire world is aware of the
strength of the Afghan jihad and has accepted the reality of the situation
in the Afghan arena. This has caused many countries in the world to desire
contact with the Islamic Emirate and the political office of the Islamic
Emirate. The Islamic Emirate will welcome the opening of its political
offices in these countries and others, if this is approved.
A Saudi official in Riyadh announced last week that his country would
require the Taliban movement to "renounce" the Al Qaeda organization and lay
down its arms, in the event of the Kingdom mediating between it and between
Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The source, who refused to disclose his name,
said that "Saudi Arabia has conditioned - for agreeing to mediate between
the Taliban and the Karzai government - that the Taliban lay down its arms,
engage in the political process, and renounce the Al Qaeda organization." We
must note that the conditions for Saudi Arabia mediating between the Afghan
government and the Taliban, with regards to the Taliban laying down its
arms, does not contain anything new. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister [Prince
Saud al-Faisal] confirmed 4 years ago that Riyadh had put in place 3
conditions [to the Taliban] relating to laying down arms, entering the
political process, in addition to cutting ties with Al Qaeda.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your assessment of what is being repeated by the
American side in Afghanistan, namely that they are ready to negotiate and
that there is a reconciliation strategy in place?
[Ahmadi] The US side is prepared to negotiate with the Islamic Emirate after
it did everything in its power to forcibly eliminate our jihadist power;
however it failed to achieve anything tangible in this regard. The Islamic
Emirate told the Americans ten years ago that the ideal solution to all
problems was peaceful negotiations without depending on the use of force.
The Americans now being prepared to negotiate represents recognition of the
strength of the Islamic Emirate and the legitimacy of the Afghan people's
jihad. They should have put forward this initiative before thousands of
their soldiers were killed and injured, as well as losing billions of
dollars in Afghanistan.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, previously
informed Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington has spent over $20 billion in
civilian assistance to the Afghan people since 2001, which has resulted in
many tangible achievements on the ground, including seven million Afghan
children in primary and secondary education, and statistics indicate that 37
percent of Afghan students are girls. However during the Taliban era, girls
were prohibited from education. Do you have any comment on this?
[Ahmadi] Our comment is: compare the achievements of the Americans [in
Afghanistan] with the negative results of the US occupation which have
resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Afghans, including women
and children, as well the heavy destruction caused to the Afghan
infrastructure. In his statements, the US ambassador must make reference to
the large thefts that have taken place in front of his eyes as a result of
the rife corruption that is hanging over the people [of Afghanistan].
The US ambassador claims that $20 billion has been spent on infrastructure
in Afghanistan, however he is ignoring the rampant corruption that is
present in government institutions under the auspices of the US embassy.
We ask the ambassador, where has this huge amount of money been spent [in
Afghanistan], in light of the fact that 27 Afghan children died in a refugee
camp in the heart of the Afghan capital Kabul - which is news that the
international media is ignoring - only a few kilometers away from the US
embassy? These deaths were due to the lack of adequate housing [in
Kabul]...therefore these children were forced to live in the refugee camp
and endure terrible weather conditions including snow and bitter cold.
When the US ambassador is listing the alleged achievements [of the
Americans], he must mentions the criminal acts carried out by American
soldiers recently against the Afghan people, from desecrating the corpses of
the slain to committing sexual assaults against children to utilizing
fighter jets to bomb and kill innocent people.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] If the Taliban returns to rule in Afghanistan, do you have
social and economic plans in place to raise the standard of living in the
country? How will you engage with the outside world?
[Ahmadi] The policy of the Islamic Emirate with regards to creating economic
and development plans and projects to raise the standard of living of the
Afghan people and its future dealings with the outside world have been
clearly made in the official statements of the Islamic Emirate which have
been issued from the office of the Commander of the Faithful [Mullah Omar],
and anybody who wants to know this need only refer to these statements.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is the objective of Taliban operations that have
taken place in the heart of Kabul in broad daylight, for example, the latest
attack on the diplomatic district? Is the goal to expose the inability of
the Karzai government to maintain security?
[Ahmadi] This will not be the last time that the US embassy and the military
headquarters of foreign troops will be targeted; we will attack them in the
future as well, in addition to using other tactics. The objective of this is
to show the power of the mujahedeen and their military presence in the heart
of the Afghan capital Kabul, and invalidate the claims of the Americans that
they have pushed out the mujahedeen from some areas.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] It has been reported in some western media that Mullah
Mohammed Tayyib Agha, the Afghan mediator in the peace talks, fled Germany -
where he was in the process of negotiating a peace settlement - after his
name was revealed in the press. Is this true?
[Ahmadi] Escape is not a habit of the mujahedeen, brother Mohammed Tayyib
Agha did not flee, rather he is carrying out his effective and active role
with regards to the policies of the Islamic Emirate, and this is something
that is confirmed by the western press itself.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In your own view, to what extent does NATO bombardment in
Afghanistan result in civilian causalities?
[Ahmadi] To a very great extent indeed, and far greater than what is
revealed by the international media.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What are the Taliban sources of funding? Does the Taliban
enjoy Arab and Gulf support in this regard?
[Ahmadi] The most important source of funding for the mujahedeen is the
Afghan people themselves; the Afghan people are funding and assisting the
mujahedeen, financially and materially. We must also not forget the
assistance provided by our brothers in the Islamic world, and their standing
with us against American imperialism.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is it true, as US officials claim, that the Taliban is
dependent upon opium-production to fund its operations?
[Ahmadi] Do not believe everything the Americans say, for they say that they
have eliminated the Taliban and removed them from the areas that they
control...if you believed such claims then we do not have anywhere to sit
down, let alone harvest opium.
We have repeatedly stated, and I will say this once again here, that jihad
is a legitimate obligation and we have never funded this with drugs, nor do
we intend to do so in the future. It is the explicit policy of the Islamic
Emirate to eradicate drugs [from Afghanistan].
[Asharq Al-Awsat] US forces have claimed, on more than one occasion, that
the Taliban receives support from Iran, in the form of technology,
improvised explosive devices [IEDs], etc. Is this true?
[Ahmadi] Let me tell the Americans that if foreign assistance was effective
on the Afghan battlefield then you [the Americans] would have been
victorious, because you receive military assistance from more than 47
foreign states.
Yes, we acknowledge that we have made developments, with the grace of God,
in the making of IEDs that have defeated the Americans and their allies, and
we will further develop this, God willing.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us how many fighters the Taliban has? What is
your view of the Taliban members who have put down their arms and joined
reconciliation programs?
[Ahmadi] The number of fighters that the Islamic Emirate possesses is the
entire Afghan people, not including Karzai and the number of ministers in
his government, in addition to some of his [Karzai's] mercenary officials.
As for the reconciliation program, and the announcements they make every day
regarding the number of people who have joined this, in reality this is
nothing more than a buying and selling project between senior Karzai
government officials and foreign parties, and this is in order to exchange
and access large amounts of money that they have earmarked in this regard.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] How much does a Taliban member or fighter earn a month?
What is a Taliban fighter's daily life like?
[Ahmadi] A mujahid who sacrifices his body and soul in order to uphold the
word of God will refuse to take financial reward for his priceless
sacrifice.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why have the Americans so far failed to capture Mullah
Omar?
[Ahmadi] The secret of this can be seen in the words of the Prophet, peace
be upon him, in the hadith when he said "if the whole ummah (nation) were to
unite and try to benefit you in something, they would never benefit you
except by that which Allah has written for you. And if the whole ummah were
to unite and try to harm you in something, they would never be able to harm
you except that Allah had written it upon you." Narrated in Sahih
al-Tirmidhi and in Mushan Ahmed and authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think somebody betrayed Bin Laden and revealed his
whereabouts in Abbottabad, Pakistan to the Americans, thus leading to his
death?
[Ahmadi] It would be better if you asked this question of the Americans
themselves.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is your view of the rampant corruption that has
plagued Afghanistan?
[Ahmadi] Looking at the corruption of the members of the Karzai
administration, his administration is the very definition of corruption and
is akin to a mafia in itself. The people view all members of this
administration as being a corrupt gang put in place by America to plunder
the wealth of the Afghan people, and we do not expect anything good of them
in administering an Islamic country like Afghanistan.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] If the Taliban return to power, will you host Al Qaeda
once more, or will you avoid this, having learnt the lessons of the past?
[Ahmadi] You must notice that the Americans acknowledged, on more than one
occasion, that Al Qaeda is no longer centered in Afghanistan, whilst on the
other hand the situation in the Islamic world has experienced huge change,
with successful revolutions having taken place in Arab states, in a
phenomenon that has been named the Arab Spring. Islamic movements have
succeeded in suppressing authoritarian governments that previously unjustly
expelled or forced these movements to flee their countries. Therefore Al
Qaeda and other Islamist organizations have now found what they need
elsewhere, and I believe they are no longer interested in Afghanistan.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why did the Taliban movement ban Afghan women from
education when it was ruling the country? Why did it ban satellite dishes,
despite the fact that Taliban Foreign Minister Mullah Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil
previously informed Asharq Al-Awsat that during this period he used to watch
international news media on a daily basis?
[Ahmadi] The Islamic Emirate, during its rule of Afghanistan...was in the
process of creating the correct conditions for girls' education, and we did
not say that we comprehensively prohibited this. Girls' education during the
Taliban era was not zero, as is claimed, but rather many girls schools were
opened in mosques in Kabul and elsewhere, but this did not spread throughout
the country due to economic reasons, and unfortunately no institutions or
states helped us in this regard.
As for the prohibitions of satellite dishes, we did not comprehensively
prohibit this; indeed some satellite channels even had official offices in
the capital Kabul, such as Al Jazeera, the Abu Dhabi channel, CNN and other
news agencies. Your statement that Mr. Muttawakil would watch international
news channels on a daily basis is the best evidence of this. We prepared all
our capabilities for such news channels; however the Americans, during the
first day of the fall of Kabul, bombed the Al Jazeera office, and destroyed
all its broadcasting capabilities.
Yes, we ordered the closure of lewd channels because of the intellectual and
moral damage they cause to the Afghan people. Today, and in light of the
American hegemony on Afghanistan, as soon as people realized the corruption
this was causing to the Afghan people, everybody began calling for the
closure of such channels, even members of the Karzai National Assembly,
after they witnessed the negative impact such corrupt channels have had on
the behavior of our children.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why are Afghan women apprehensive regarding news of
reconciliation with the Taliban, or reports of the Taliban returning to
power, viewing this as a threat to women's rights in the country? Is this
true? If the Taliban return to power, what is the fate of the thousands of
girls' schools that have been opened?
[Ahmadi] Establishing security in Afghanistan by any legitimate means is
something that Afghan women want even more than Afghan men, and the Islamic
Emirate has been committed to women's rights, including the right to
education, in light of Islamic teachings, and we will continue to be
committed to this in the future.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In light of the high cost of bloodshed and destruction in
the country, has the time come to establish peace and return stability to
Afghanistan?
[Ahmadi] Establishing safety and security in the country is the demand of
every Afghan citizen, and this is their legitimate right, and so it is up to
the Americans and their allies to end the occupation of Afghanistan to allow
the people to live in freedom away from the atmosphere of war that has been
imposed on them.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In the Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan, are
Taliban affiliated judges implementing Islamic Sharia law?
[Ahmadi] Our judges are present even in areas that the Karzai administration
is in control of, and people refer to them in solving all their legal and
judicial problems; because they are known for their integrity and their lack
of corruption and avoidance of bribes.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Are you satisfied that 350 Afghan religious scholars
called for Islamic Sharia law to be implemented in the country? Do you
consider this a move to reconcile with Afghan society?
[Ahmadi] Implementing Islamic Sharia law is the only guarantee for the
happiness of all human beings, and millions of Afghans have been martyred to
ensure that this is implemented in their country. The Islamic Emirate
considers the implementation of Islamic Sharia law to be one of its
political priorities in Afghanistan.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why do some Afghans resort to Taliban courts to settle
their disputes?
[Ahmadi] This is simply because the Karzai administration courts are mired
in corruption and bribery.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] How do you think we can solve the problem of drug
cultivation in Afghanistan? Does Afghanistan truly benefit from this with
regards to taxation and the economy, as claimed by the Western media?
[Ahmadi] As for drugs, the Taliban clamped down on this during its rule of
Afghanistan and was able to solve this problem by completely prohibiting
this across the country. However when America and its allies came to our
country, they supported the cultivation of drugs, and encouraged farmers to
do so by paying them money. The Americans worked to increase the drug trade
and open new markets, and they trafficked these drugs via planes; so they
are responsible for the increase in the drug trade.
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Received on Thu Feb 23 2012 - 18:22:04 EST
