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Jihad extends to Australia: Taliban envoy
Australia's decision to join America in the war on Afghanistan makes it a target of the holy war the Taliban has declared on its enemies.
Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef says anyone who attacked Afghanistan was encompassed by the jihad.
"If they are joining with America's coming to Afghanistan, the jihad is clear," he told ABC Television.
"Any person, any military coming to Afghanistan for invasion for fighting the people of Afghanistan we are ready for a jihad.
"Any people who join with the Americans - they are Americans to us."
Asked if this extended to Australia, Mr Zaeef said: "Any country. Yes, yes, yes, this is clear."
The jihad even applied to Afghani people who fought against the Taliban.
"If they are joining with Americans in coming to Afghanistan the jihad is clear, any person who wants to accompany the forces of America," Mr Zaeef said.
Australia has committed 150 elite Special Air Services troops to the fight against terrorism, as well as 1,400 other personnel.
The SAS troops are expected to be dropped inside Afghanistan to fight on the ground there.
Afghanistan Honorary Consul to Australia Mahmoud Saikal, who represents the United Front opposition to the Taliban, said the jihad carried little weight.
"Since the 7th of October they have been issuing fatwas of jihad ... struggling to turn this into a war between the Muslims and the Infidels," Mr Saikal told ABC Radio.
But as the Taliban were essentially religious students - that is what the name means - they did not really have the authority to issue a fatwa.
"The fact that the representative of the Taliban in Islamabad has repeated today his fatwa against the allied forces including Australia is nothing new to us," Mr Saikal said.
He acknowledged that some Muslims may get agitated, especially if they were unaware of the harsh practices of the Taliban.
But regular watchers of Afghanistan would give it little weight.
Australia's decision to join America in the war on Afghanistan makes it a target of the holy war the Taliban has declared on its enemies.
Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef says anyone who attacked Afghanistan was encompassed by the jihad.
"If they are joining with America's coming to Afghanistan, the jihad is clear," he told ABC Television.
"Any person, any military coming to Afghanistan for invasion for fighting the people of Afghanistan we are ready for a jihad.
"Any people who join with the Americans - they are Americans to us."
Asked if this extended to Australia, Mr Zaeef said: "Any country. Yes, yes, yes, this is clear."
The jihad even applied to Afghani people who fought against the Taliban.
"If they are joining with Americans in coming to Afghanistan the jihad is clear, any person who wants to accompany the forces of America," Mr Zaeef said.
Australia has committed 150 elite Special Air Services troops to the fight against terrorism, as well as 1,400 other personnel.
The SAS troops are expected to be dropped inside Afghanistan to fight on the ground there.
Afghanistan Honorary Consul to Australia Mahmoud Saikal, who represents the United Front opposition to the Taliban, said the jihad carried little weight.
"Since the 7th of October they have been issuing fatwas of jihad ... struggling to turn this into a war between the Muslims and the Infidels," Mr Saikal told ABC Radio.
But as the Taliban were essentially religious students - that is what the name means - they did not really have the authority to issue a fatwa.
"The fact that the representative of the Taliban in Islamabad has repeated today his fatwa against the allied forces including Australia is nothing new to us," Mr Saikal said.
He acknowledged that some Muslims may get agitated, especially if they were unaware of the harsh practices of the Taliban.
But regular watchers of Afghanistan would give it little weight.
