Al Qaeda has urged its fighters to launch fresh attacks on NATO supply convoys, traveling from Pakistan to Afghanistan, in order to secure the back of their ally, the Afghan Taliban. In a video posted on jihadi websites on Thursday, al Qaeda’s spokesman for Pakistan, Ustad Ahmad Farooq, said, “On this occasion I urge our mujahid brothers from Karachi and Makran to Khyber that they must pay special attention to targeting American and NATO supply lines.” Farooq said fighters should target not only the convoys, but also the owners of the trucking companies that are contracted to ship supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan.
“Wipe out these convoys with guerrilla operations. Target the owners of companies that have contracts for supply… in short secures the back of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan by any means necessary!” Farooq berated the Pakistani military and government for their ties to the US, and for accepting the reopening of the supply lines and for allowing the continuation of drone strikes. He described Pakistan’s leadership as “slaves” who have sold out Muslims, and who “safeguards its own seat of power and protects its vested interests”. Farooq also urged “the scholars of this nation, callers to the religion and all people of virtue and honor in Pakistan to express their disavowal with this act of treachery with the Jihad in Afghanistan”. He said Pakistan’s religious political parties “still have enough power left that if they seek Allah’s help, earnestly resolve to stop this series of treachery with the Jihad in Afghanistan using all permissible means and start a mass movement against drone attacks and NATO supplies, the government and army will be forced to submit to their demands in a matter of days”.