ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Al-Qaida vowed to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden
with retaliation against the U.S. “soon,” according to a warning that
the terrorist network posted this week on militant websites.
In confirming the death of its leader in a statement
dated Tuesday, al-Qaida urged Muslims to not stray from the path of
armed struggle against the United States.
The terror group said it would soon release an audio message made by
bin Laden a week before his death in which he passes along “advice and
guidance.”
Bin Laden was killed early Monday in a U.S. commando raid on a compound in the Pakistan
garrison city of Abbottabad that he had used as a hideout for the last
five years. Experts have said his death deals a significant blow to
al-Qaida but likely won’t mean its demise.
The Internet statement released by al-Qaida warned
that “soon, with God’s help, we pray that their happiness turns into
sorrow, and may their blood mix with their tears.” Al-Qaida militants,
the statement said, “will continue to plan and plot without any fatigue,
boredom, despair, surrender or indifference.”
Al-Qaida also urged Pakistanis to mount an uprising against their U.S.-allied government.
“We call upon our Muslim people of Pakistan
… to rise up and revolt so they can cleanse this disgrace that was
brought upon them by a handful of traitors and thieves who have sold
everything to the enemies of the Muslim world.”
The statement appeared to be written before the U.S.
government announced that bin Laden had been buried at sea in accordance
with Islamic rites. “We warn the Americans to not commit any injustice
against the corpse of Sheik Osama. … Any inappropriate treatment will
open the doors of double evil.”
On Friday, the U.S. carried out its first drone missile strike in Pakistan
since bin Laden’s death, killing 13 suspected militants in North
Waziristan. The tribal region along the Afghan border is home to Afghan
Taliban militants who routinely cross the border into Afghanistan to launch attacks on U.S. and NATO forces.
The strike involved eight missiles fired at suspected
militants in a car, a restaurant and a local seminary in the Datta Khel
area. That village was the site of a controversial March 17
drone strike that killed more than 40 people, most of whom Pakistani
officials said were tribal elders and civilians rather than militants.
U.S. officials insisted the people killed were militants.
Friday’s drone strike came just a day after Pakistan
warned the U.S. that it would not tolerate another unauthorized raid
like the one that led to Bin Laden’s death, which was carried out by
special forces. Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said any similar action by the U.S. would force Pakistan to review its military and intelligence cooperation with Washington.
However, it is widely believed that Pakistani officials have acquiesced to strikes by unmanned aircraft.
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