Al-qaeda releases audio on Rohingyas

THE ISLAMIST OUTFIT REITERATED THE CALL FOR JIHAD AGAINST INDIA AND OTHER NATIONS INCLUDING UNITED STATES, RUSSIA AND ISRAEL

NEW DELHI: Kashmiri and Rohingyas Muslims found a prominent mention in a new audio file released by the media wing of the Al-qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), an Islamist militant organisation, asking south Asia’s Muslim community to “help the oppressed”.

In the audio released last week, AQIS lauds the “efforts” of Bangladesh in supporting Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar and praised the Kashmiri community for raising their voice “despite being in suffering themselves”.

The Islamist outfit reiterated the call for Jihad against India and other nations including US, Russia and Israel, saying that these countries were in alliance when it came to fight Islam and were “happy till the time Islam is in mosques”. “The moment Islam pours out into society and the legal system, they do not tolerate that,” he added.

The voice in the 12-minute audio address was identified as that of AQIS spokesperson Ustadh Usama Mahmood.

He said there were “two categories of help” by which subcontinent’s Muslims could assist the “oppressed” one of which was by providing financial and other assistance to Rohingyas. The second way, said Mahmood, was to “stop the hand of the cruel”.

Intelligence agency officials told HT, “The said audio has come to our notice. Investigative agencies are ascertaining whether the audio poses a concrete threat . Till now we have no reason to believe that it does.”