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<DIV>To those who are more outraged by the killing of 6 al-Q operatives than
they were by 3,000-plus civilians in NY, Africans in the embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania, and elsewhere . . . </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>From the February 23, 1998 order for fatwa, signed by bin Laden and several
of his allies:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear
declaration of war on God, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout
Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the
enemy destroys the Muslim countries. This was revealed by Imam Bin-Qadamah in
'Al- Mughni,' Imam al-Kisa'i in 'Al-Bada'i,' al-Qurtubi in his interpretation,
and the shaykh of al-Islam in his books, where he said: 'As for the fighting to
repulse [an enemy], it is aimed at defending sanctity and religion, and it is a
duty as agreed [by the ulema]. Nothing is more sacred than belief except
repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life.' On that basis, and in
compliance with God's order, we issue the following fatwa to all Muslims: </DIV>
<DIV>
<P>"The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies -- civilians and military
-- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which
it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy
mosque [Mecca] from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all
the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. This is in
accordance with the words of Almighty God, 'and fight the pagans all together as
they fight you all together,' and 'fight them until there is no more tumult or
oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God.' </P>
<P>"This is in addition to the words of Almighty God: 'And why should ye not
fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and
oppressed)? -- women and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord, rescue us from this
town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will
help!" ' </P>
<P>"We -- with God's help -- call on every Muslim who believes in God and wishes
to be rewarded to comply with God's order to kill the Americans and plunder
their money wherever and whenever they find it. We also call on Muslim ulema,
leaders, youths, and soldiers to launch the raid on Satan's U.S. troops and the
devil's supporters allying with them, and to displace those who are behind them
so that they may learn a lesson.</P>
<P>"Almighty God said: 'O ye who believe, give your response to God and His
Apostle, when He calleth you to that which will give you life. And know that God
cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be
gathered.' </P>
<P>"Almighty God also says: 'O ye who believe, what is the matter with you, that
when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of God, ye cling so heavily to the
earth! Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the
comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He
will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him
ye would not harm in the least. For God hath power over all things.' </P>
<P>"Almighty God also says: 'So lose no heart, nor fall into despair. For ye
must gain mastery if ye are true in faith.' " </P>
<P>Don't think the Mafia or even the IRA (to cite two flawed comparisons to
al-Q) ever went this far. </P>
<P>DP</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>