Osama welcome in Swat: we are not bound by any agreement: Muslim Khan

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Muslim Khan wants Taliban model of sharia in Pakistan, ‘even in America’
* Says those who disagree with Taliban are non-Muslims

MINGORA/LAHORE/NEW DELHI: Swat Taliban have said they are not bound to honour the peace accord between the government and cleric Sufi Muhammad, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday.

According to the channel, they said the NWFP government had signed the deal with Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi, and not with the Taliban.

Taliban sharia: Although there was no official confirmation, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan issued a direct challenge to the legitimacy of Pakistan’s government in a telephone interview with the CNN, by demanding the imposition of the Taliban’s model of sharia throughout Pakistan and beyond, “even in America”.

Disagree: He also denounced any Pakistanis who disagreed with his interpretation of Islam, calling them “non-Muslims”. He also called for the imposition of jiziya, a tax to be levied on all non-Muslims in Pakistan.

In an Associated Press interview, he said Osama Bin Laden was welcome in Swat. “Yes, we will help them and protect them.”

Muslim Khan counted the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, the Jaish-e-Muhammad, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban of Afghanistan among his allies. “If we need, we can call them and if they need, they can call us,” he said. He said his forces would go to help the Taliban in Afghanistan if the United States and NATO continue to fight there.

In an interview to a Srinagar-based newspaper, he dismissed reports the Taliban would attempt to disrupt elections in Indian-held Kashmir. daily times monitor/ap/iftikhar gilani

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg1_1