The Mirwaiz, who is on his way to New York as part of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) contact group for the forthcoming United Nation's General Assembly session told The Indian Express that neither Osama bin Laden nor any of his organizations were linked to Kashmir. ``Anybody living in a third country can say anything on Kashmir and we can't stop him,'' he said.

The 27-year APHC leader said Kashmir was a political issue and not a plaything for any organisations or person to fiddle with. ``If Osama bin Laden wants to fight for Kashmiris' cause, let him come and join one of the organisations which are struggling for the resolution of the problem,''he said.

The renegade Saudi Arabian billionaire, living in exile in Afghanistan, had declared ``jehad'' (holy war) againstIndia over Kashmir. His name figures in the world's top ten most wanted terrorists by the US administration.

The Mirwaiz, who appeared amused at Osama's stance, said, ``Anyway, we have no means of checking the veracity of Osama bin laden's declaration on Kashmir. But as far as we are concerned, he has no role in Kashmir.''

Mirwaiz Farooq said he and Moulana Abbas Ansari, another senior APHC leader, were going to the New York with a ``positive frame of mind and not for India-bashing''.

``Wind is certainly blowing in our favour and world can no longer ignore the developments in Kashmir in the light of East Timor, Montenegro and Kosovo,'' Omer Farooq said. He claims that Hurriyat leaders would enlighten the world leaders of the ``Kashmiri perception of the conflict'', as so far only the Indian and Pakistani version of the conflict has been heard of. Hurriyat leaders, he said, were in a far better position today to impress upon the United Nations to end Indian rule in Kashmir.``Moral persuasion worked inSouth Africa to end apartheid and in East Timor to end the Indonesian occupation and it can work in India as well,''he said.

The Hurriyat leader said that personally, he believed in negotiations between India and Pakistan paving the way for an ultimate resolution of the Kashmir issue. ``Kashmiris are a partner in any ultimate conflict resolution formula, but at least the two major partners should start talking to reach that stage.''

The Mirwaiz claimed that the APHC-sponsored boycott call of the elections in Kashmir had evoked a near total response. ``If it was not for coercive methods of the Indian Army which have since been exposed by the media, you would have zero per cent polling in Kashmir.''

He singled out Gujjar tribesmen for having ignored the election boycott call. ``The National Conference should change its name after the recent elections. It should be called Gujjar Conference,'' the Mirwaiz said, referring to the spectacular turnout in the areas like Kangan in Kashmir which are inhabited byGujjars.