Does Osama think Pakistan an ‘apostate’?

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: Osama bin Laden, assuming the latest audiotape attributed to him is indeed his and not a fake, considers Pakistan a “tyrannic” country with an “apostate regime.” An audiotape said to have been recorded by the founder of Al Qaeda recently said, “True Muslims should act, incite and mobilize the nation in such great events in order to break free from the slavery of these tyrannic and apostate regimes enslaved by America. Among regions ready for liberation are Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, the country of the two shrines (Saudi Arabia), Yemen and Pakistan.” Western intelligence agencies believe that Al Qaeda remnants are active in Pakistan and Iran, especially in the border areas. They are also believed to have been far from eliminated in Afghanistan.

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