Osama bin Laden has denied any role in the attacks on the United States and said his holy war against the enemies of Islam would continue even after his death, a Pakistani daily reported today.
The pro-Taliban newspaper Ummatin Karachi said bin Laden's remarks were made in a written interview the Saudi dissident gave to the paper via messages passed through the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.
"As a Muslim, I will not lie," bin Laden said in the interview. "I was neither aware of these attacks, nor would I support killings of innocent men, women and children".
The United States has identified bin Laden as the chief suspect in the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. It has demanded the Taliban hands him over or face possible military strikes.
Bin Laden has been living under Taliban protection in Afghanistan since 1996.
In the interview published in Ummat, bin Laden said his proclaimed jihad against "anti-Islamic" countries such as the United States and Israel would survive his own death or incarceration.
AFP