Interview of Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani (A commander in Qaedat Al-Jihad) with Al-Jazeera in 2001
The following is the transcript of the interview of channel Al-Jazeera with Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani (Mahfouz Ould Al-Walid), a commander in Qaedat AlJihad that was conducted with its correspondent in Kandahar, Yusuf Al-Shuli in November 2001 during the American war against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. To this day there is no confirmed news about the fate and whereabouts of Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani. When the Sheikh is speaking about the 11 September 2001 attacks keep in mind that he is speaking during the American war against Afghanistan, when the Taliban were still ruling Afghanistan before the retreat of the mujahidin to the mountains, also the status of the Sheikh in Al-Qaeda might not be high to know that the organization was behind this operation. This interview has been published as a historical document. *** Yusuf Al-Shuli: Dear audience, Al Salamu Alaykum Wa Rahmat Allah Wa Barakatu. We are pleased to host in an exclusive episode from the show (Exclusive interview) our guest Mr. Mahfouz Ould Al-Walid, who is known as “Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani”, one of the commanders of Al-Qaeda organization. Mr. Mahfouz, in one sentence … Will Al-Qaeda organization adopt the 11 September in New York? Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani:
Regarding the operations of 11 September until now no party declared its responsibility of it, and until now there has been no judiciary sentence even in the United States itself that condemns any party. Al-Qaeda declared it’s not
responsible for the operations. The Taliban movement declared that no one from the mujahidin who are present in Afghanistan is involved in these operations. In the light of these facts the party that committed this operation remains unknown, but there are matters if we focus on it we can reach to the true doer, who should be questioned and should be held accountable for these operations. Y.S: What are these matters? A.H.M: These matters, firstly: there is an agreement among the analysts inside and outside the United States of America that the motives behind these operations are: the injustice, tyranny, oppression and aggression that is committed by America against the Arab Moslem nations, and the other oppressed nations. The first statement of the American president after the operations acknowledged this fact and said: “Those who committed these operations want to discourage the United States ... discourage the United States from its foreign policies but they won’t succeed”. This is a clear acknowledgment that the American foreign policy was what generated this level of hostility, resentment, revenge, and retaliation. Y.S: But the spokesman (Suleiman Abu Ghaith) of Al-Qaeda organization threatened of another storm of planes? A.H.M: He didn’t threaten, he said that the Americans with their old policies led to the events of 11 September, so their policies… continuing their old policies, adding to that the new American aggression on Afghanistan will double these matters, it’s not necessary that he is the one who committed it, let me complete the other matter, this is very important, in the United States of America there legal parties that are responsible for maintain the security of America and the Americans, and its legally accountable for that. The American intelligence which the biggest intelligence budget in the world is spent on it. The American army “the Pentagon” that deplete yearly the world’s biggest military budget. The FBI has offices everywhere. Tens of other agencies that are for maintaining the security of America and the Americans, which the Americans cut for it Billions of Dollars from their taxes and own money to provide for them security. Where were these agencies when these events happened? These agencies has the capability of using satellite, ground stations, millions of informants and spies, and very huge budgets, that even it is said that it knows what is happening in the sleeping room, and knows the size of the shoes of the wanted and persecuted. How could a group of people stay for years training inside the United States of America and planning for
this operation… They were training inside America and not in the camps of Afghanistan? The caves of Afghanistan aren’t capable of training pilots for the most modern American airplanes. Those people found security vulnerability in the size of a whole fleet of kidnapped civil aircraft, and were able to rub the nose of America in the dirt and stun it with this thunderbolt, and take it by surprise, and draw to it the biggest military, security, political and economy blow. These agencies that millions are spent on it… every American has to ask this question: What is the benefit of these money and Billions that is being spent on these security and intelligence agencies? Rather what is the benefit of these agencies that appeared helpless and panicked unable to protect itself… as well as protecting others? The question that every American should ask is that he should make the American administration held accountable for inciting those people with its oppressive unjust policy to do what they did. They should make the intelligence, security and defense agencies held accountable for its failure and helplessness in thwarting such attacks. The least that should be done is those officials submit their resignations and apologies to the American peoples, but instead of that and instead of acknowledging their responsibilities... they threw the responsibility on other people, and searched for scapegoat, and they found in Afghanistan. Y.S: Then now according to your assessment, these operations led to the wanted results according to your opinion and according to your instructions. Is that true? A.H.M: This could be asked to those who did operations, we didn’t do these operations., but I don’t hide from you that we here in Afghanistan like hundreds of millions of Moslems in the world, we could restrain our happiness and our joy seeing America gulping for one day what we have been gulped by more than one Moslem people every day from decades from a long time on the hands of the United States of America either directly or indirectly, we were happy with that, but the strikes… even if we weren’t the ones who did it, it poured in our interest, and it had significant results to us. Y.S: Now after the United States had waged a war against you – as you say – and also with Afghanistan, do you threaten with anything? A.H.M: We don’t threat with anything, and we don’t need to threaten. We are in an exposed war. We went to the Americans, and the Americans came to us, we are in an open war. The Americans have spared no effort, until now what has fallen on
Afghanistan from bombs and missiles are many times more than the nuclear bombs that America stroke with it Japan in WWII. If you compiled all the explosives that fell until now in more than one month over Afghanistan it will be many times more than that number. America used until now used weapons that weren’t used in any war before, but until now America couldn’t achieve any of its goals that it has set up when it declared its crusade on Afghanistan. Y.S: Ok, now how is your military situation after more than one month... 40 or 42 days, from the beginning of this war? A.H.M: Until now our battle with the Americans haven’t begun. All what is happening is air bombardment that comes from a distance. 80% of the targets that are hit by the American warplanes and smart bombs are civilian targets, and you in Al-Jazeera broadcasted gruesome images that resemble the values of civilization and American morals. You broadcasted images of children who are killed in the arms of their mothers. You broadcasted the images of mosques destroyed and the Qurans burned. You broadcasted the images of whole villages that were demolished over the heads of its people. These are the results of the American raids until now. But we as a military force, the forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and forces of Al-Qaeda, and the other forces haven’t been used yet, and not a single bullet has been shot until now. We are still waiting for the day when the Americans come to the ground battle. That will be the day of the beginning of the real war with the Americans. The Americans are still delaying that day after the unsuccessful landings that they tried to conduct, and have suffered in it – until now – 8 military planes. They have acknowledged some and you have broadcasted wreckage of the other planes that they didn’t acknowledge. Y.S: Ok, now the Taliban are withdrawing from positions and losing positions. It lost in the north, it lost the capital Kabul, it lost Herat and lost other cities. This fast withdrawal or let us say fast defeat – if we can call it so -, excuse me how do you explain it? A.H.M: The observer of the history of the war in Afghanistan is aware that exchanging the control over a certain city or a certain territory doesn’t mean much from the military aspect. Before America came and before the current crusade that is been waged on Afghanistan, it happened more than once an exchange of controlling the city of Mazar-e Sharif and other cities like Bamyan and many other cities. Yesterday Mazar-e Sharif fell and the Taliban declared today that they retrieved the city. The Taliban withdraw from positions and retrieve them. This
doesn’t resemble a true success against the Taliban or against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan or against Al-Qaeda. America has wagered on achieving goals, and not achieving these goals is what should be counted in the favor of America. America made its primary goal: destroying the infrastructure of Al-Qaeda, and killing and arresting its leadership. Until now nothing of this was achieved. America succeeded in destroying some houses … some houses of tin and mid that were in the mountains, it’s cost combined doesn’t worth the cost of one missile from the thousands missiles that were sent to destroy it. These positions were evacuated from a long time before that. America tried to make a landing over the house of Amir al-Mu'minin (Mullah Mohammed Omar). You saw the wreckage of the American planes that were dropped by the mujahidin, despite there were very few guards, because the location was empty from a long period. America tried to overthrow the Taliban movement. Until now the movement is still coherent, until now the movement didn’t soften in its political stances. Until now America wagered on creating a split inside the Taliban movement, and Pakistan supported it in that, and used all the means of inducement, seduction, temptation and intimidation. They didn’t succeed in tempting one commander from the commanders of Taliban until now to defect and the rows are still coherent. So none of the goals of the military American campaign were achieved until now. This is what made them change their strategy to push the opposition to occupy some cities. In fact, if we looked to that on the long term it is a paper against the political American project, because the media transmitted the atrocities committed by the opposition today and yesterday in Mazar-e Sharif... how the looting continued, and caused panic and fear, and the UN witnessed on that. This model that we saw in Mazar-e Sharif is a model that will be repeated in any city or any village that will be occupied by the opposition, then the people will know the value of the Taliban movement and it has provided from security and stability, and what it has provided from protection to the honor and property of the people after a dirty war that all of the previous parties participated in it. The history is repeating itself, the cities that were controlled by the opposition during the past two days began to return to the way of life that was before the Taliban movement. The same conditions that provided for the Taliban to retrieve these cities later, are the conditions that will provide for it to control it in the near future Insha’Allah. Y.S: I feel in your words a support to the Taliban movement more than Al-Qaeda organization, why do you support the Taliban with this intensity?
A.H.M: I support the Taliban for several matters: firstly: it’s supporting the truth. We are Moslems who are advocates of the truth. We were order to make the truth apparent, and we were ordered to be just to the others, even if they were Kuffar, Allah Tabarak wa Taala said: (let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety) 8 Surah Al-Maeda I do not exaggerate that this movement if I say: that today that there no place on earth a regime ruling with Islam from the Book of Allah and Sunnah and the sayings of the Ulema of the Ummah purely and sincerely except the Islamic Emirate that is ruled by the Taliban movement. Y.S: But some accuse the Taliban of violating human rights and being extreme in religion even in implementing the tolerant religion of Islam? A.H.M: These accusations, the one who knows the reality knows that they are merely accusations, that are promoted firstly by hostile parties to Islam, and secondly hostile to the Taliban movement. I will give you an example: when the Islamic Emirate decided to destroy the Buddha statues the whole world shouted and stood in its face. It’s understood why the Kaffir world shouted, because it’s against any Islamic act, and it’s against any Islamic state, and it’s against any policy… any policy that tat fall in that direction, but many from those affiliated to the Islamic work shouted - I don’t say ordinary people -. There was a delegation of Muslim Ulema that came to negotiate with the Taliban movement. They came fraught with this psychological freight that by the Western media. When they came and met the Taliban and the officials of the Islamic Emirate and acknowledged that they were a victim of the media misinformation. This is in the level of the elite Ulema of the Ummah, so what about the ordinary people. The delegation that came returned with a different idea that they came with, and went there doing Dua for the Taliban. The accusations against the Taliban movement are false accusations. They saw with their own eyes the medicine collage with girls studying in it, they saw with their own eyes medical clinics run by whole crew of women, they saw with their own eyes specialized sections for women in the public hospitals and they saw with their own eyes schools that present what they are capable of tot the girls and they said to them – and they saw themselves that the secret in the lack of educating the girls isn’t the policy of the Emirate in this aspect, but rather the deficit in educating boys before girls. I lived with the Taliban movement and saw how they
live, and saw how they ruled with the Sharia. I testify by Allah that there is no regime on face of earth like them or close to them. Y.S: A question frankly: how really rules Afghanistan, the Arab Afghans or the “original” Afghans? A.H.M: The one who rules over Afghanistan, and rules over Al-Qaeda, and rules over all the mujahidin who are present on the land of Afghanistan is Emir AlMu'minin Mullah Mohammed Omar. All the organizations including Al-Qaeda organization, and the other organizations that are present, and the Islamic groups, and the individuals gave their Bayaa to this man. They are obliged to hear and obey except in a sin. He is the one who rules and he is trustworthy. He has showed that he is competent to what has been given by the Moslems to him from their rule. This man took great stances that deserve to be written with golden water. This man after the United States of America threatened him and said to him: “Either you handover Bin Laden or we will destroy you” he said: “Leaving one of the pillars of Islam is easier than handing over Bin Laden”, and when asked don’t you fear the American threatening? America that is feared by the states of world and the international military alliances, he said: “America promised us with defeat, and Allah Tabarak wa Talaa promised us with victory, and we will see which promise will come true”, and he said very clearly when he addressed the Moslem Ummah and incited it for jihad, he said: “Don’t say that I’m inciting you to keep mu rule and authority. If I want authority and rule I would have bowed to the Americans as all the rulers of the world bow. Then they would aid me with money, men, and weapons, but death in pride is better than the life of humiliation. Y.S: But it is known about Afghanistan that it’s a country that alliances and loyalties change quickly to the level that it called a “bourse” that its prices change every second. Do you expect that the alliances and loyalties in Afghanistan will change? A.H.M: The loyalties that are based on incorrect basis change and shift, and the loyalties that are based on political interests and worldly benefits change and shift and we saw how Pakistan turned its back to the Taliban movement. But the loyalty that is based on ideological loyalty that emerges from the loyalty to Allah, His messenger, and loyalty to the believers, this doesn’t change or shift. The Islamic Emirate have declared and confirmed practically that it’s loyalty to
the muhajirin and the mujahidin is an ideological religious loyalty, and this kind of loyalty doesn’t change and dissipate. Y.S: How do you evaluate the future status of Afghanistan in the light of what we currently see and touch on earth? A.H.M: Brother, we are Muslims... we Muslims are excelled with an ideological view towards what is happening on the face of the earth. It has been confirmed from the prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Sahih Muslim and other “There will not cease to be a party (Taa'ifah), from my nation (Ummah), establishing the order of Allah. They are unharmed by those who betray them or oppose them, until the matter of Allah arrives while they are dominant over the people”. This party we don’t claim or believe that we alone in Afghanistan are this party, but we believe strongly and wish – honestly believing – that the Islamic Emirate, the mujahidin and muhajirin on this land resemble now the spear in the belly of the current crusade. They have a priority to enter in this party. This party as mentioned in that authentic Hadith who which we believe strongly in it. We have been told by the prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him that they won’t be unharmed by those who oppose them, who are being fought by the Americans and their parties and allies, and those who followed them in their way and participated with them, nor those who betray it or oppose it, which means those who stayed back from supporting them, are the Taa'ifah AlMansoorah. This Taa'ifah Al-Mansoorah can only be victorious as the prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said, but it can be tested and examined, and we have been told by the Allah Subhanah wa Taala in His glorious book that the prophets the best from among His creation are tested. The Almighty said: (Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near) 214 Surah Al-Baqara. The Sahabah when they heard this verse they were waiting for the day that they will be tested and examined, because that is the promise of Allah to all the believers that take that path. So when the parties of Quraish gathered and the cults of Kufr and atheism united, and Banu Qurayza denunciated the Covenant in Medina. The battle of the Confederates was very severe on the Sahabah that they found much difficulty in going to answer the call of nature, when the Sahabah saw this extreme crisis that Allah Subhanah wa Taala said about it: (Behold! they came on you from above
you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and ye imagined various (vain) thoughts about God) 10 Surah Al Ahzab. On that test the Sahabah became Confident that they are on the right path, the path of the prophets and mujahidin before, (And when the believers saw Al¬Ahzâb (the Confederates), they said: "This is what Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) had spoken the truth, And it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness (to Allah)) 22 Surah Al-Ahzab. We believe that this party will be tested, and money and lives will be gained from them, and affected with hunger… hunger and fear, but Allah won’t abandon it. If Allah Subhanah wa Taala didn’t support this party, and avenge for it from this crusader enemy, then who will He support? We took all the worldly reasons, and the victory remains from Allah. We – I swear to Allah – are confident from this victory. This victory is a promise of Allah Subhanah wa Taala to the believers, He said: (you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers) 139 Surah Aal-e-Imran, and He said: (If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm) 7 Surah Muhammad. A person might be surprised from this optimism and this confidence of victory in the light of the confrontation between this people which most of them are widows, orphans, and disabled, and these small, scattered groups that are persecuted on this earth, with the most powerful force on earth that is feared by the alliances and international organizations, a person might be surprised from this. But we – as I said – are confident about this victory, because Allah Subhanah wa Taala informed us about that. The American money and its huge budget that it spends from it on the field of defense doesn’t terrorize us, because Allah said: (Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcome) 36 Surah Al-Anfal, and the mighty soldiers and their enormous numbers does not scare us, Allah Tabarak wa Taala says: (For to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth For to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth) 7 Surah Al-Fath, and its enormous funds doesn’t raise in us anything, Allah Tabarak wa Taala says: (But to Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not) 7 Surah Al-Munafiqoon. These are promises from Allah that we should believe in it.
Y.S: So you are optimistic about the future of Afghanistan even in the light this bombardment and this destruction. Why there aren’t any hints or advices from you to the Taliban movement – for example - to create a broad government that include of different segments of the Afghan people? A.H.M: The broad government is an American project and isn’t an Islamic project. The broad government was tried by different previous governments, and it have been confirmed to everyone that the way that the Taliban movement chose, and administrated, unified and governed the country with it is the only feasible way with this people. The broad government, this broad government, do you what do they mean with a “broad government”? They want that there be general Dostum in this goverment. This communist general is stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands from the Afghan people and from the muahjdin. They want to be in this government people supported by India, a wing of India inside Afghanistan. They want that there be seats for those who are supported by Russia, they want that there be seats for those who are supported by Iran, they want that there be seats for those who are supported by Pakistan. In the end those people will turn to agents who fight for the interests of the countries that put pressure to make them reach to this government. This is unacceptable. Not to mention that the final result of this broad government is not implementing the Islamic Sharia, and not establishing the Islamic state that pleases this nation, which sacrificed one million and half martyr to establish the Islamic state. Approval of this government is a treachery tote blood of the martyrs, a treachery to the jihad of this great nation, and a treachery to the hopes of the Ummah that throw all it’s might and material and human support to the Afghan jihad. The nice fulfillment to this support and this jihad is the Islamic government that was established by the government Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Y.S: Ok, this about situation in Afghanistan and your view about the future of Afghanistan. Now let us return to Al-Qaeda organization. What is your view to the future of Al-Qaeda organization in the light of these conditions and in the light of open warfare that is declared by the United States, the most powerful state in the world against you? A.H.M: We as I have said before are part of this Emirate. We did Bayaa to this Emirate, and we work to support this Emirate and the future that you talked about the Islamic Emirate is a future that includes Al-Qaeda and includes many other Muslims that you don’t know their names and they aren’t harmed if we didn’t know their names, since Allah Subhanah wa Taala knows them. We see that
America has entered the stage of beginning of the end. America is speaking that it wants to extract the roots of terrorism from Afghanistan. But in reality those who are in Afghanistan succeeded in extracting America from its forts and bases and brought it subdued and forced to Afghanistan, where they can seize them with their hands and spears and different weapons. America has lost before it entered the battle. You might ask me another question, which is a completion to the first question: if Al-Qaeda and the Taliban didn’t weren’t behind the 9/11 September operations, what makes the United States to wage this fierce war against Afghanistan and it knows the innocence of these people? I say to you: America has more than one goal for this war. America has political constants towards the Islamic world. These constants are based on three foundations: Firstly: the security of Israel. Secondly: securing the flow of the petrol and keeping the international maritime passages open. Thirdly: preventing the establishment of any Islamic state the really rules with Islam. Merely the establishment of the government of the Islamic Emirate, which has no alliance neither to the east or west, and it declared clearly and explicitly that it’s an Islamic state that draws only from the Sharia of Allah Subhanah wa Taala, and doesn’t care with international laws and customs that contradict with the Islamic Sharia. Merely the establishment of this government is an elimination of one of the foundations of the of the American policy in this Islamic world. Therefore the presence of this government that rule with the Sharia and the presence of people in this government who are ready to give themselves in the list of victims in order to maintain this government. This government and its establishment by these people, its presence resembles a threat to the policy of the United States more than the threat of all the weapons of mass destruction. Therefore the United States of America has to declare war on Afghanistan to eliminate this government, and the excuse was 9/11, it was an excuse to equip for a war that was prepared from before. The former Pakistani foreign affairs minister said that he attended a few months ago the conference of the states surrounding Afghanistan... America, Russia, he said that the Americans told him that they are preparing for a war against Afghanistan. Y.S: So Al-Qaeda was taken as a justification. A.H.M: Al-Qaeda was taken as a justification to strike Afghanistan, but Amir alMu'minin in Afghanistan and the Taliban here, the Taliban, declared more than once that the target is the Islamic state in Afghanistan and not only Al-Qaeda, and that is important, Al-Qaeda is an organization that can be present today and end
tomorrow. The Taliban can be present today and end tomorrow, but an Islamic state resembles a model that can be followed by others. This is what began to really happen; many Islamic nations surrounding Afghanistan began to look forward to the Afghan model, even inside Pakistan. Maybe that was from the factors that made Pakistan change its policy towards the Taliban, because many of the Ulema and Islamic movements inside Pakistan began to adopt the Taliban model in establishing the Islamic state that isn’t loyal to the east or the west. The other matter that seduces the United States of America to invade Afghanistan, which is the strategic location of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is surrounded by several states that represent several powers and with high importance for the United States of America. These states are Pakistan – and Pakistan is a state with high importance for the United States of America -, it’s the only nuclear Islamic state, and its nuclear capability forms a threat – even in the long term – to the Americans and Jews. The other state which is in the Afghanistan surroundings is the biggest democratic state in world as they say, it’s India, and it’s also another nuclear state. Another state which is a stubborn adversary for the United States of America, its China. In the north, there is more than one state that represented the former USSR. In these states and republics of Central Asia, the Americans and Israelis found huge riches in the Caspian sea and its surroundings. You know that now the Caspian sea represents the second biggest oil reserve in the world after the Gulf. The Americans want to control the new oil sources, because the oil of the Gulf is exposed to depletion either today or tomorrow... at any time. The other state, which is the stubborn adversary from many years for the United States, its Iran. If America succeeded in occupying Afghanistan it will tie all these states with one rope that its node will be in Afghanistan and its other end will be in Washington. Y.S: Now if we return from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Central Asia to the heart of the Arab World, why don’t you fight... do jihad in Palestine or any other Arab state, like in Mauritania for example? Do you want establish democratic rights there? A.H.M: Certainly you have reopened a deep wound in my heart. Certainly the Palestinian cause is the first cause for every Muslim. It’s the blessed land; it’s the land of the Night Journey and the land of the Ascension. In it is the first of the two Qiblas and the third holy Mosque. It’s the land of the prophets before. What the Palestinian people has been exposed to from barbaric Jewish crimes with the American, British and crusade support, until now no nation has been exposed to
such crimes. Jihad doesn’t need to be confirmed that it’s an obligatory jihad on every Muslim. But how could we do jihad in Palestine, if you stand on the borders of any Arab state and fire one bullet on the Jews inside Palestine, more bullets will be shot at you, not from the Jews, but from the Arab states that are guarding these borders. We believe that jihad in an obligation, and it’s an personal obligation in Palestine, and consider it the most important Islamic cause in all the Islamic world. But until now we didn’t get any chance to enter it, but we by striking the Jews, and striking Americans, and our work in establishing an Islamic state that expands broadly proceeding from Afghanistan. We serve all the Islamic causes. All the causes of the Ummah, in its forefront is the Palestinian cause. Y.S: What about Mauritania? A.H.M: Mauritania is part of the Islamic world, and me being from it doesn’t give it a priority for me more than it deserves in the order of Islamic priorities, we are as the poet say: (Arabic poetry) Wherever the Name of Allah is mentioned it’s my land Al-Sham and valley of the Nile are equal to me When the conditions are ripe for the jihad in Mauritania or any other country, we Insha’Allah – will be ready for this jihad. But we consider that the first cause now that all the Muslims are capable to participate in it with aid and support with money and men, and all the kinds of required supplies is the cause of Afghanistan, which is now resembles the first goal that the crusaders... crusade Jewish alliance want to add to what they seized from spoils before. They consider that they secured Palestine now, but Afghanistan the struggle is still continuing in it, and we consider that preserving it has a priority from seeking the lost one. Y.S: The United States has kept an amount of money as a reward to the one who captures you, or guides them to you, or even kill you. For what is this amount of money? And how much is it? A.H.M: First, this question has to be asked to the United States of America. It’s the one who kept this amount of money, and it is the one who earmarked it. But I know the reason, I consider that the best worships to Allah Almighty in this time is killing the Americans, and inciting for this killing, and do jihad against them with all that the man has from force. I have vowed myself and also my brothers in Al-
Qaeda and others in doing this mission. We consider that it is a worship to Allah Almighty that from the highest obligations in this era is doing jihad against the Americans and fighting against them, and harnessing all the forces for that, may be that is the reason. In fact when in America keeps our names as most wanted people, and earmarked huge rewards with millions of dollars. It first earmarked on every person five million dollars, and then raised this amount, and it’s been raised continuously whenever it’s panic, horror and fear increase. We consider that the United States did us a favor with this action. This is a medal of honor that urges every Muslim to carry it, that he is categorized as the first enemy to the United States of America, the fiercest power, the most oppressive power, and the most power on earth in injustice, aggression, unfairness and assaulting the rights of others. Y.S: Mister Mahfouz, you are accused that you are terrorists. How do you defend those who kill the innocents, are you really terrorists? A.H.M: If terrorism was killing the real innocents whom were prohibited by to be killed by Allah from women, children and elderly and those who have nothing to do with fighting, then we aren’t terrorists. As we worship Allah Almighty by doing jihad against who is worthy to be fought and killed, we also worship him Almighty with refraining from killing those who are prohibited by Allah Almighty. But if terrorism – means – protecting the sanctities and defending the sanctuaries and doing jihad against whom we were ordered by Allah Almighty to do jihad against them (fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained) 12 Surah At-Taubah. This terrorism is a divine obligation, Allah Almighty says: (Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies and others besides whom ye may not know but whom Allah doth know) 60 Surah Al-Anfal. Allah Almighty says praising the believers and defamation of the hypocrites and Kuffar, you believers are more fearful in their breasts than Allah, and the messenger of Allah peace and blessings of Allah be upon him says that from his characteristics that he was aided in a distance of one month's traveling, which means putting fear, panic and horror and worry in the souls of the enemies of Allah Almighty who are fighting against Him. This is a divine obligation, and the Moslem in this issue is between two options: either he believes in these verses and believes in what it consists of from clear obvious meanings, or deny these verses and become a Kaffir.
The Moslem has no other option, regarding what happened on 9/11 and what have been mentioned by the pens and tongues about killing innocents and other, I have a clarification here, first: as I said, we weren’t behind this act, so we aren’t responsible to clarify it by Sharia, this is one thing, but there are many Ulema who issued clear fatwas and proved it from the Quran and Sunnah and sayings of the scholars of the Ummah that this act if Moslem mujahidin were behind it, it’s an undeniable Jihadi action. Those who criticized this act mentioned several matters, they said: these are civilian targets, and they aren’t military targets, and there are innocents in them, etc… I want to clarify this, in this point: first: describing the Pentagon that the Americans themselves say about it that it’s the den of evil and nest of villains, describing the Pentagon which resembles the biggest military target in the world that it’s an innocent civilian target, this is far from being true and claiming the innocence of those who weren’t cleared by their people and even the Americans (.....) So is the one who have been warned of war by Allah and a war by the messenger peace and blessing of Allah be upon him is considered striking an innocent? Secondly: The World Trade Center is the center of money laundering in the world, and a hidden center for the CIA, until now it has acknowledged that many of its centers and offices were hit in that location. So how could these very clear military and economical and political targets be described that they are innocent targets? Then I say to those who shed the crocodile tears and spoke on the minbars of the sacred Kaaba and the Ulema of Al-Azhar in more than Islamic country shedding the crocodile tears on the innocents of America, where are your tears? Where are phrases of condemnation and denunciation against the terrorism that kills innocents, baby children, kneeling elderly in Afghanistan? Why don’t we hear anything from them? Or you only see small dirt in the eyes of the mujahidin and don’t see the big dirt in the eyes of America? You in Al-Jazeera channel broadcasted the horrific massacres that were committed by the American warplanes against the undeniable children and civilian targets that have no military targets around it. America today turns a blind eye to the plundering and looting that are committed in the city of Mazar-e Sharif by the opposition who came with the American warplanes ahead of them, and supported by Russian tanks from behind. This selectivity and duplication in the media and in politics is what will push many mujahidin and many avengers to do operations that are more severe
and bitter than what happened on 9/11. They might be from Afghanistan and might be from other. Y.S: It has been attributed to the leader of Al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden that you have chemical or biological or nuclear weapons, is that true? A.H.M: First: we are in an open war with the mightiest power on earth which is America, and this enemy has many criminal precedents in using weapons of mass destruction against many nations. It has many criminal precedents. We have entered in this war with the United States of America and when you enter in a war with Al-Qaeda organization or with the mujahidin in any place it has to expect that the mujahidin won’t spare any effort, or any force, or any capability in using any weapon that are in their hands. But if there was any such weapons with AlQaeda… Al-Qaeda organization is a weapon of deterrence and not a weapon of initiative, so the Americans should expect all the evil when they use any unconventional weapon, we will be lookout for them Insha’Allah. Y.S: Dear audience, in the end of this exclusive interview I can only thank my guest Ustaz Mahfouz Ould Al-Walid, who is known as Abu Hafs Al-Mauritani (one of the senior commanders of Al-Qaeda origination), I hope to meet you in other episodes from the show (Exclusive interview), this is Yusuf Al-Shuli greeting you from Kandahar.