WASHINGTON, February 27: The United States has taken the calls issued by some Islamic organisations to attack its citizens and properties across the globe very seriously.Fatwas against US citizens, installations and allies around the world ``are being taken quite seriously'', a CIA document released by Republican senator Jon Kyl says.
The fatwas have been issued by a coalition of Islamic religious groups in London and are being backed by a terrorist financer, Usama Bin Ladin, a rich Saudi businessman who now lives in Afghanistan.
The fatwa calls for the ``liberation'' of Muslim holy places in Saudi Arabia and Israel as well as the death of Americans - civilian and military - and their allies.
Issued two weeks ago, the call is linked to a threatened US attack on Iraq to force Baghdad to comply with the UN demands on weapons inspection. The fatwas also call for ``attacks to continue until US forces retreat from Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem.''
The London group calls for the attacks to continue until UNeconomic sanctions on Iraq are ended, according to the CIA counter terrorist centre document.
Although the Muslim clerics issuing these fatwas are not named, the London group refers to religious authorities in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, the CIA said
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
