France is "determined" to pursue its mission in Afghanistan, said Friday the Foreign Ministry, when asked about a message attributed to Osama bin Laden. The leader of al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden has linked the release of French hostages held in Afghanistan and Niger military withdrawal from France and warned that the positions of President Nicolas Sarkozy "will be expensive" to France in a recording broadcast Friday, January 21 by the Arabic channel Al-Jazeera."We repeat the same message: the liberation of prisoners from the hands of your brothers is bound to withdraw your troops from our country," said the voice attributed to bin Laden by the television channel. The message has not been authenticated by the French authorities. Addressing the French people, he said: "The refusal of your president to withdraw from Afghanistan is the result of its conformist America and this refusal is a green light to kill your prisoners but (...) we will not do that when it suits him.
" This position of Mr. Sarkozy "will cost him and cost you dearly on many fronts, inside and outside of France," he added. In a message dated October 2010, bin Laden had warned that France would not know security if it withdrew from Afghanistan and cease its "injustices" against Muslims.
He then justified the abduction of five French in Niger in September claimed by al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). In Afghanistan, where about 3,750 French soldiers are stationed, two French journalists at France 3, Stéphane Hervé Ghesquière Taponier and are still in captivity since their abduction December 30, 2009.
No comments:
Post a Comment