Washington: Denouncing the ‘arbitary killing’ of their father by US forces, Osama Bin Laden’s sons questioned that why the dead Al Qaeda Chief was not ‘arrested alive’ and ‘tried’ in a court of law to reveal truth.
Calling for an UN investigations on the circumstances of their father’s death, they accused the United States of violating its basic legal principles by killing an unarmed man, shooting his family members and disposing of his body in the sea, the New York Times reported.
The report said the family was asking why the leader of al-Qaeda “was not arrested and tried in a court of law so that truth is revealed to the people of the world.” “We maintain that arbitrary killing is not a solution to political problems,” the sons’ statement said, adding that “justice must be seen to be done.”
The sons’ statement called on the government of Pakistan to hand over to family members the three wives and several children of the terrorist now believed to be in Pakistani custody and asked for a United Nations investigation of the circumstances of their father’s death.
The statement, prepared at the direction of Omar bin Laden, a son who had publicly denounced his father’s terrorism, was provided to The New York Times by Jean Sasson, an American author who helped the younger Bin Laden write a 2009 memoir, “Growing Up bin Laden.” A shorter, slightly different statement was posted on a jihadist Web site Tuesday.
Omar bin Laden, 30, lived with his father in Afghanistan until 1999, when he left with his mother, Najwa bin Laden, who co-wrote the memoir.
In the book and other public statements, the younger bin Laden denounced violence of all kinds, a stance he repeated in the sons’ statement to The Times. None of Osama bin Laden’s sons other than Omar was named in the statement, so it was unclear exactly who else had approved the message.
“We want to remind the world that Omar bin Laden, the fourth-born son of our father, always disagreed with our father regarding any violence and always sent messages to our father, that he must change his ways and that no civilians should be attacked under any circumstances,” the statement said.
“Despite the difficulty of publicly disagreeing with our father, he never hesitated to condemn any violent attacks made by anyone, and expressed sorrow for the victims of any and all attacks.” Condemning the shooting of one of the Qaeda leader’s wives during the assault on May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the statement added: “As he condemned our father, we now condemn the president of the United States for ordering the execution of unarmed men and women.”
Meanwhile, the Al Qaeda has again has again called on Muslims to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden and said Americans will “pay the price” for President Barack Obama’s decision to kill him, the SITE Intelligence monitoring service has said.
Al-Fajr Media Centre, which SITE calls the exclusive online distributor of Al-Qaeda propaganda, said yesterday the assassination was a ‘big mistake’ and a ‘serious sin’, and that Obama had brought disaster on the American people.
The statement, made available by the US-based SITE, opened with a lengthy eulogy of bin Laden, killed last week by US commandos in Pakistan.
It said that “despite the stress and the affliction, he continued to smile, certain of the victory of Allah and convinced of His support. He did not retreat nor flatter; instead, he incited to jihad and martyrdom and sought that with his person and his money.”
Turning to the American people, it said: “Today, Obama distributed among you the blood of our martyr. We are an Umma (the global Muslim community) that does not remain silent to injustice, so do not blame us after today.
“You are those who chose him and you are those who will pay the price. Obama is protected by armies, (but) who will protect you from our assault?”
It echoed a statement by bin Laden’s sons released by SITE earlier yesterday, which lambasted the al-Qaidaleader’s burial at sea.
“We warn the Americans against touching the body of the sheikh … or treating it in an improper way.
“The dead bodies should be handed over to their families, or else any offence will open unto you doors of multitudes of evil for which you will only have yourselves to blame. We call upon all the Muslims to fulfil their duty to enforce this truth.”
Al-Fajr said: “It is necessary to take revenge for the killing of the Sheikh of Jihad and the Lion of Islam, in such a way that will make America forget the pleasure of its happiness and make it cry blood.
“We say to every mujahid (holy warrior) Muslim, if there is an opportunity, do not waste it. Do not consult anyone about killing Americans or destroying their economy.
“The land of Allah is vast and their interests are spread, so make the utmost effort to strike them so that the word of Allah is supreme — as our martyr Sheikh, with permission from Allah, advised.
–Agencies