The United States is convinced Pakistani Taliban were behind an attempted car-bomb attack in New York’s Times Square on May 1.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing. If confirmed, it would be the first time their members were involved in an attempted attack in the West.
A Taliban spokesman, in a video message obtained by Reuters, repeated a claim of responsibility, saying: “The movement proved what America could not have even imagined … It was just an explosive-laden vehicle which did not explode.”
“But it (America) will see, all imperialist forces will see that it will explode also and America will also burn,” said the spokesman, Azim Tariq, sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of a rock face and speaking in Urdu.
America’s allies would meet the same fate, he said. “They can neither eliminate the mujahideen nor jihad, nor they can harm Islam,” he said, referring to Muslim holy warriors and holy war.
“Instead, they will have to die themselves, they will be burnt themselves, they will have to dig their own graves,” said the spokesman, sporting a long black beard and turban.
Tariq denied responsibility for bombings in public places, saying authorities wanted to malign the militants with such attacks.
Tariq spoke of fighting in various places in Pakistan saying his men were holding their own and the security forces, which he said were being paid with US aid money, were suffering significant losses. “They are being defeated,” he said.
Tariq did not refer specifically to any attacks abroad, but said mujahideen “wherever they were, in any part of the world” were supporting each other.
Tariq said the Pakistani people were being sacrificed for the sake of the United States by their own government, which he called un-Islamic.
“Now is a time to remove them from power as soon as possible. All their policies are anti-Islam, anti-people,” he said.
“Jihad will continue as long as the ruling coterie and the unholy army continue to follow the American agenda,” he said.
Source: Reuters