Al Qaeda has confirmed that Osama bin Laden is dead, killed by the US strike on Sunday. The group has promised to avenge his killing with attacks on the US and its ally countries.
It’s the first admission from al Qaeda that its leader, bin Laden, is dead.
In a statement posted on a Jihadist website, al Qaeda admitted that 54-year-old bin Laden has been killed by US Navy Seals last weekend.
Al Qaeda said that Osama bin Laden’s blood “will not be wasted” and vowed to continue attacks against America and its allies. The group described itself as a “curse chasing the Americans and their agents”.
It has not been possible to confirm that the al Qaeda statement is genuine, but the group does use the Jihadist website on which it was posted.
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Confirming that bin Laden is dead, the al Qaeda statement calls for his death to be turned to its advantage.
“We stress that the blood of the holy warrior sheik, Osama bin Laden, God bless him, is precious to us and to all Muslims and will not go in vain.
“We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries.
“Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness. Their blood will be mingled with their tears.”
Al Qaeda went on to call for Pakistan to help avenge the death of bin Laden.
“We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan… to rise up and revolt to cleanse this shame that has been attached to them by a clique of traitors and thieves … and in general to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread corruption in it.”
The group’s admission that bin Laden is dead is likely to be followed by the appointment of a new leader. It is thought that Osama’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri will step into the role.
Threats of terror attacks in the US will be taken seriously and, according to an FBI and Homeland Security bulletin, al Qaeda was already planning an attack on US railway networks on the 10-year anniversary of September 11.
President Barack Obama announced that bin Laden had been killed on Sunday night, revealing that his body had been buried at sea.
The White House is declining to release pictures of bin Laden’s dead body, claiming that they are too gruesome and could be used for propaganda.
Al Qaeda’s confirmation that Osama bin Laden is dead will go some way to quieting those who have doubted the news.
