ZAGREB ISLAMIC DIGNITARY ON OSAMA BIN LADEN IN RELIGIOUS WEEKLY

ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - If Osama bin Laden intends to use terror to spread Islam he is not a Muslim nor is his method Islamic, Zagreb mufti Sevko Omerbasic said in an interview with the Catholic weekly Glas Koncila. "As far as I'm familiar with the Osama bin Laden story, I dare say he has nothing to do with the original and spiritual Islam that he so often refers to. The wider public learned about him when he got into conflict with the Americans, until then allies of Afghanistan, where he had gone at the time of Soviet occupation," Omerbasic was quoted in the issue which hit the news-stands on Thursday. According to the mufti, the dictatorial regimes in the Islamic world pose no danger to the West as long as they serve Western goals. These interests are huge, he said. "Why haven't these regimes been put on the agenda of even one UN-organised international conference, but Islam in general has, in the worst anti-Islamic hysteria?" he said. Explaining the Jihad, which has been mentioned frequently in the media recently, Omerbasic said it existed in Islam but was not a war or a holy one but denoted endeavours in the building and defence of the faith. The armed struggle is Islam is called Kital as every Muslim's duty is to defend his faith if it has been attacked, he said. "Standing up now to defend the principles of my religion, the Islam, before those attempting to accuse it of encouraging and endorsing terrorism, and thus show it to the world as a satanic religion, I am in the Jihad," said the mufti. He stressed the Islam did not approve of but condemned terrorist attacks claiming innocent lives, women, and children. (hina) ha sb