Terrorist Outfits

"Our organization has a big role in the freedom struggle in Jammu and Kashmir. We have lakshs of members and supporter all over the world. The US has caused big harm to freedom struggle by adopting such a steps at the behest of the Indian leader. We think that America is out to wipeout the freedom struggle of Kashmiris and we thus reject its ban on our organization…We have not launched Jihad at the diction of any body and so we would not stop Jihad at any body dictation too. We do not care whether world consider us terrorist or freedom fighters."

-- Maulana Masood Azhar, Chief, Jaish-e-Mohammed, October 15, 2001

"… It is the time to test the belief of the believers… he looked a better advocate of America than American government…"

-- Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, Chief, Lashkar-e-Toiba, October 8, 2000

"… Support to America means war against Allah and Mohajir community would never accept any such decision. Being Muslims we should never accept the supremacy of America..."

-- Afaq Ahmad Haqiqi, Chairman, Mohajir Quami Movement- Haqiqi faction,
October 7, 2001

"… The statement of Mr Powell that the US would go after terrorism that affects India is regrettable, nonsensical, unrealistic and contrary to historical facts…"

-- Muttahida Jehad Council, October 3, 2001

"… We have nothing to do with Osama, but being a Muslim he is our brother. We do agree with his stand against America and supporting his policy and network. Osama is the product of United States during the Afghan-Russia war. And by that time he was considered as a real Mujahid and was supported by all the western powers… Now the Muslim Ummah is in trouble and the religious obligation demands to wage jehad wherever it needs..."

-- Zarar, Chief, North West Frontier Province, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, October 1, 2001

"… Though being Muslim we have ideological links with the Taliban, but there is no physical link..."

-- Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, September 28, 2001

"…We would be left with no other option but to take part in the holy war against the US…"

-- Bakht Zameen Khan, Supreme commander, Al-Badr Mujahideen, September 28, 2001

"The MQM is against all sorts of terrorism, extremism and it believes in religious tolerance and wants to see Pakistan as a liberal and democratic country of the world…Today's public meeting has been organized to condemn international terrorism and express solidarity with the international community."

-- Altaf Hussain, Chief, Muttahida Quami Movement – Altaf, telephonic address from London headquarters, September 26, 2001

-- Abdul Ghani Bhatt, Chairman, All Party Hurriyat Conference, September 21, 2001

"American repression and imperialism is a challenge for the entire Muslim world… [linking Osama with attacks in the US is part of a plan to pave wave for the US’] sinister plans to strike against Afghanistan"

-- Joint statement by Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Al Badr and Jamiat-ul- Mujahideen, September 19, 2001

‘The United States is the biggest criminal in the world… Muslims of the country [Pakistan] will not tolerate any assistance by the government to [the] USA for attacking Afghanistan… [The government should not] cooperate with the USA against an Islamic state… We will wage a war against America if it attacked Afghanistan…Participants of the meeting, held in connection with Hazrat Abu Bakkar Siddique (RA) Day, took out an anti-America protest procession. They also set on fire an American flag… Terrorist acts in New York and Washington DC are a conspiracy to defame Islam and Muslims... All the western powers and United States are bent upon destroying the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan… Oppressive policies against Muslims throughout the world are backed by the American government and whatever happened is a reaction to those policies.

-- Sipah-e-Sahaba (Pakistan) speakers at a public rally, September 16, 2001

‘Any compromise on the security and integrity of Pakistan will be unacceptable for the nation… The government should not bow before any international pressure rather it should evolve [a] consensus on the issue of US demands and then take a decision… The demands of the United States are against the solidarity, sovereignty and defence of the country. [The government should] not to allow US forces to use Pakistani soil for launching attack on Afghanistan, otherwise it would be disastrous for the country and its people as well.

-- Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Chief, Lashkar-e-Toiba, September 16, 2001

"It is murder and terrorism. All freedom-loving people and people who have any concern for humanity must condemn this attack in the strongest of ways", he was quoted as saying by KT News Service… I deeply sympathise with the thousands of families who are affected by this terrible tragedy… The people of Kashmir can understand the type of pain and horror the people of America are facing in these difficult times… I can understand very well the public anger and outrage here in the USA and the pressure it must be putting on the White House to react hastily"…

-- Yaseen Malik, Chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, September 14, 2001

Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, in a telephonic interview to a news agency, on September 12, denied the role of the outfit in the terrorist attacks in the United States and said his group’s main focus remained on activities in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. He said, "The issue of Kashmir and America are two different matters and one should not be associated with the other."

Reports on the claim of the LeT’s role in the attacks in the US are "wrong and baseless’… "These are aimed to defame [the] Lashkar, which was involved in the Jehad (holy war) in Jammu and Kashmir." … [The attacks were made because] … "America has harassed and harmed a lot of people. It has conflicts with nations like Iraq. So the matter should be investigated thoroughly, instead of indulging in baseless allegations."

-- Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Chief, Lashkar-e-Toiba, September 12, 2001

"Mujahideen will never allow the US to carry out aggression against innocent citizens of Afghanistan".

-- Abu Hurairah , Spokesman , Sindh chapter, Al-Badr Mujahideen