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Bin Laden hits out
DUBAI: Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden yesterday warned France that its planned ban on the veil in public places and involvement in the war in Afghanistan justified violence against its nationals.
In an audio recording aired by Al Jazeera television, he said the kidnapping of seven foreigners, five of them French, in the Sahara desert in northern Niger on September 15 was a warning.
"How could you take part in occupying our countries and support the Americans in killing our children and women, and then expect to live in peace and security?" Bin Laden asked.
"It is very simple - as you kill, you will be killed, as you take hostages, you will be taken hostages, and as you compromise our security, we will compromise your security," he said in the message, which lasted one minute 55 seconds. He also warned France to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.
"The way to protect your security is to bring your tyranny against our nation to an end, most importantly to withdraw from the damned war of (former US president George W) Bush in Afghanistan," he said in the message.
French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux told a National Assembly meeting in Paris that France is under "real" terror threat which needs total vigilance.
The hostages, including a Togolese and a Madagascan, are believed by countries concerned to be held in the desert in neighbouring Mali.
DUBAI: Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden yesterday warned France that its planned ban on the veil in public places and involvement in the war in Afghanistan justified violence against its nationals.In an audio recording aired by Al Jazeera television, he said the kidnapping of seven foreigners, five of them French, in the Sahara desert in northern Niger on September 15 was a warning.
"How could you take part in occupying our countries and support the Americans in killing our children and women, and then expect to live in peace and security?" Bin Laden asked.
"It is very simple - as you kill, you will be killed, as you take hostages, you will be taken hostages, and as you compromise our security, we will compromise your security," he said in the message, which lasted one minute 55 seconds. He also warned France to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.
"The way to protect your security is to bring your tyranny against our nation to an end, most importantly to withdraw from the damned war of (former US president George W) Bush in Afghanistan," he said in the message.
French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux told a National Assembly meeting in Paris that France is under "real" terror threat which needs total vigilance.
The hostages, including a Togolese and a Madagascan, are believed by countries concerned to be held in the desert in neighbouring Mali.
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