Click to play videoNew Delhi: Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has declared war on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his army in its latest message, to be released by the network's media arm.
In another video released by Al-Qaeda's media arm, Al-Sahab, Bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri also warned that Musharraf would be "punished" over the killing of the Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi.
The storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad in July "demonstrated Musharraf's insistence on continuing his loyalty, submissiveness and aid to America against the Muslims ... and makes armed rebellion against him and removing him obligatory," bin Laden said in the message.
"So when the capability is there, it is obligatory to rebel against the apostate ruler, as is the case now," he said, according to a transcript released by Laura Mansfield, a U.S. terrorism expert who monitors militant message traffic.
Bin Laden's voice was heard over a video showing previously released footage of the terror leader. It was posted Thursday on Islamic militant Web sites.
Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, a Pakistani army spokesman, said the army will continue its fight against terrorism, regardless of any threats it faces.
"We have the aim and objective, as our national duty, to eliminate terrorists and eradicate extremism. The Pakistan army will continue to carry out its role against terrorists wherever they are found, whether in the tribal areas (of northwest Pakistan) or elsewhere."
"Such threats issued through videos or in any other way cannot deter us from fulfilling our national duty," he said.
Bin Laden's new message came as al Qaeda released a video in which his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, boasted that the US was being defeated in Afghanistan, Iraq and other fronts.
(With inputs from agencies)
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