Dubai: Fugitive US-Yemeni cleric Anwar
Al-Awlaqi appealed to American Muslims to stand up against
their nation, which he accused of committing crimes against
Muslims, in an audio message released on Thursday.
"To the Muslims in America, I have this to say: How
can your conscience allow you to live in peaceful co-existence
with a nation that is responsible for the tyranny and crimes
committed against your own brother and sisters," the US-born
cleric said in a message, excerpts of which CNN published on
its website.
"How can you have your loyalty to a government that is
leading the war against Islam and Muslims?" he demanded in his
statement to American Muslims, the authenticity of which CNN
said it could not verify.
He said it was the "American invasion" of Iraq and
"continued US aggression against Muslims" which led him to the
conclusion that "jihad (holy war) against America is binding
upon" himself and "on every other able Muslim."
Awlaqi shot to prominence last year after it emerged
he had communicated extensively by email with Major Nidal
Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist who opened fire on colleagues at
Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13.
The man who was accused of having had ties to the
September 11, 2001 hijackers, had praised the Fort Hood attack
and said Muslims like Hasan should only serve in the US
military if they planned to carry out similar attacks.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 18:56