Quetta: Mullah Umar said that his followers would teach the United States "a bigger lesson" than what they taught the Soviet Union in the Eighties.

It is a fact that we have not yet started our real battle against the United States because of their technological superiority. But, insha-Allah, we will greet them with roses. They will be taught a much more bitter lesson than what we taught to the Soviets," Ameer-ul-Mumineen told the Saudi daily Al- Watan in an interview from Afghanistan.

"We have already said that if Washington has the evidence proving Usama's involvement and is confident of that, why dont they give us this evidence and we are ready to try him in Afghanistan or by a committee of Islamic scholars from three Muslim countries?" he asked while referring to US injustices.

"By ignoring this proposal, the United States is humiliating the Islamic Shariah Law and accordingly the current war is not targeting Usama but is for the destruction of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," Ameer-ul-Mumineen underlined.

"I reiterate our readiness for the trial to take place in the presence of observers from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and other neutral countries," he added.

Lamenting great loss of life and extensive damage to an already damaged civilian infrastructure he said that Afghan cities and villages have suffered huge losses. A large number of women and children have been killed and mosques, hospitals and residential areas have also been hit. He labeled the US-led air strikes on Afghanistan as "barbaric".

Known for his rock-hard courage, he asserted that the Afghan determination to fight had not been undermined. The Afghan people will reject any puppet government imposed by the Western powers of any other country. Sentencing death for all the collaborators, Ameer-ul-Mumineen said, "The (Western backed) Northern Alliance is a group of mercenaries, who have decided long time ago to make their country hostage to foreigners. The people of Afghanistan reject any attempt to force them to accept a leadership that works against them."

Terming ex-King Zahir Shah as traitor, he added, "We categorically refuse that Washington and the Western countries impose on our people, individuals who had deserted us decades ago whilst we were fighting our enemies."

- Abu Azzam