Al-Qaeda confirms Bin Laden death

7 May 2011 03:45 am

Al-Qaeda has confirmed the death of its leader, Osama Bin Laden, according to a statement attributed to the group and posted on jihadist internet forums.

The statement said his blood would not be "wasted" and al-Qaeda would continue to attack the US and its allies. Bin Laden's death would be a "curse" for the US and urged an uprising in Pakistan, the statement added.

The militant was shot dead on Monday when US commandos stormed his compound in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad. The covert raid was carried out without the prior knowledge of the Pakistani authorities, increasing tension between the two countries.

Several rallies were held in Pakistan on Friday in protest. The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan said thousands marched through central Karachi in the biggest such rally there in years. They chanted slogans praising Bin Laden - calling him a guardian of Islam.

The statement published on jihadist web forums, signed by "the general leadership" of al-Qaeda, said an audiotape would be released of Bin Laden speaking a week before his death.

"[His blood] will remain, with permission from Allah, the Almighty, a curse that chases the Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries," it warned.

"Their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears. We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan, on whose land Sheikh Osama was killed, to rise up and revolt.

"Before the sheikh passed from this world and before he could share with the Islamic nation in its joys over its revolutions in the face of the oppressors, he recorded a voice recording of congratulations and advice which we will publish soon, God willing."

Although US forces buried Bin Laden's body at sea, the statement warned the US that "multiple gates of evil" would be opened on them if they failed to hand over the corpse to his family. It incited Muslims to take action should the Americans mistreat the body or any of his captive family members.

It acknowledged the US was responsible for his death, and also noted that he had been killed by "treacherous infidel bullets".

The statement attracted a high number of online comments, all of which seemed to accept the death of Bin Laden as fact. (BBC)