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Mohammed OmarSpiritual leader of the Taliban movement
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Content:
- Mohammed Omar - The Mysterious Leader of the Taliban Movement
- Did the Taliban Refuse to Hand Over Osama bin Laden to the US?
- Did Osama bin Laden Plan the Attacks in New York?
- What is Your Current Attitude Towards Russia?
- Did You Receive Assistance from Chechen Separatists?
Mohammed Omar - The Mysterious Leader of the Taliban Movement
Mohammed Omar, the spiritual leader of the Taliban movement, recently gave an interview to a person sought after by intelligence agencies around the world. This individual, who has never been photographed except for two amateur stolen pictures, and has never given interviews to non-Muslim journalists, is one of the most enigmatic politicians on the planet.
Born in a small village near Kandahar, Omar fought against Soviet forces for ten years, losing his eyesight and being severely wounded multiple times in battle. In 1993, he founded the Taliban movement with just a hundred followers. Within three years, his army captured Kabul and overthrew the communist president, Najibullah. Under Omar's rule, music, football, internet, television, public baths, and girls' schools were all banned. Additionally, the Taliban destroyed the ancient Buddha statues in Bamiyan, claiming it was part of their mission to build "true Islam". In 1997, Omar provided shelter to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, which played a pivotal role in his fate. After refusing to hand over bin Laden to the US following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Omar declared a holy war, or "jihad," against America. After the defeat of the Taliban and the capture of their last stronghold, Kandahar, Omar disappeared in an unknown direction. Even the Pentagon admitted to having no knowledge of his whereabouts, although he was second only to Osama bin Laden on the US most-wanted list.
This interview with Omar, conducted by the Russian press, was prepared over the course of a year while he was still in power. The questions from the Russian newspaper were sent to the Taliban headquarters in Kandahar in August, but due to the September 11 attacks in New York, Omar did not have the opportunity to answer them. Contact was reestablished through email, with representatives of the Taliban offering an exclusive interview on the condition that Omar's views be conveyed without any modifications. The questions, approved in advance, were sent to a Middle Eastern country in the spring, and the answers were received via the internet a few days ago. The interview is published as promised, without any cuts or distortions.
Did the Taliban Refuse to Hand Over Osama bin Laden to the US?
The Taliban refused to extradite Osama bin Laden to the United States, who was the prime suspect in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, where thousands of people died at the hands of suicide terrorists. They claimed bin Laden was a guest of the Taliban. As a result, Afghanistan was subjected to severe bombings, and the Taliban was overthrown. Was it worth sacrificing so much for one person?
"We were ready to hand over Osama bin Laden to the US if America provided us with evidence of his guilt. We even offered to organize negotiations on this matter. We wanted to see the documents that would prove bin Laden's involvement in the events in New York with our own eyes. However, no one wanted to listen to us. We also proposed an open trial for bin Laden in any Islamic country that was not influenced by either the Taliban or America. Osama agreed to appear before such a court. But the Americans did not agree to this. They wanted not bin Laden, but the complete destruction of the righteous emirate that the Taliban built."
Did Osama bin Laden Plan the Attacks in New York?
"Until a person is brought to trial, they are innocent in any case. Americans claim that bin Laden orchestrated this, but I don't believe them without evidence. I want to deal with facts."
Why Did the Taliban Fail to Create Organized Resistance Against the US Army?
"The holy war has only just begun. The fire of this war will reach America, and its capital, which initiated this unjust campaign against Muslims, will be consumed by it. I do not consider the Taliban to have been defeated. No one has seen crowds of prisoners or fields strewn with the bodies of Taliban fighters. We suffered minimal casualties and remain combat-ready, despite American propaganda claiming otherwise. Do you believe that the Americans have no losses? When thousands of Soviet soldiers were dying in Afghanistan, no one knew about it except your government. Draw your own conclusions from my words."
What is Your Current Attitude Towards Russia?
"How can I feel anything towards a country that supported the US aggression against Muslims? After the withdrawal of Soviet troops, we heard many words about Russia wanting to befriend Afghanistan. If Russia wanted to be friends with us and earn the forgiveness of the Afghan people, it could have provided us with weapons during the US invasion, but it didn't. It became clear who our friends and enemies were. They said that the Taliban would definitely attack Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and spread its influence in these countries. We tried to prove our peaceful intentions, but no one believed us. What happened as a result? The Taliban did not take a single step beyond our borders, but foreign aggressors came to our land. Our only fault was that we wanted to live the way we wanted, not the way America wanted."
Did You Receive Assistance from Chechen Separatists?
"I can say that the Islamic people of Afghanistan feel sympathy and support from Muslims around the world. We welcome any expression of solidarity and do not differentiate between those who show it.