KABUL (AFP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai called "ridiculous" Friday a call attributed to Osama bin Laden for Europe to break ranks with the United States and quit the fight against extremists in Afghanistan.
In a statement attributed to the Al-Qaeda chief and aired Thursday, bin Laden also said he was behind the 9/11 attacks -- which led to the invasion of Afghanistan -- and Afghans "had no knowledge whatsoever of these events."
The remarks were "ridiculous and contrary to Islamic culture and human values," a statement from Karzai's office said.
"Osama bin Laden under no name has the right to comment about Afghanistan and the sacrifices Afghans have given," it said.
By "imposing terrorism" on Afghanistan, the Al-Qaeda chief was one of the reasons thousands of people had been killed and displaced in this country, the statement said.
"The people of Afghanistan consider bin Laden a criminal and the enemy of security and development of their country and put no value to his comments," it said.
They also know their "enemies and friends very well," it said, and had solid ties with their international allies in efforts to rebuild the country.
A US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks because the then hardline Taliban government did not hand over Al-Qaeda leaders for the atrocities.
It has been joined by a NATO-led force that now numbers about 41,000 soldiers from 38 nations, while the international community is spending billions on development here -- albeit in a much-criticised fashion.
Foreign ministry spokesman Sultan Ahmad Baheen told AFP, in his reaction to the statement attributed to bin Laden, that "nothing would deter international unity on the war on terror."
"Security in Afghanistan means security in Europe and is an international responsibility," he said.
Despite a massive manhunt and a 25-million-dollar bounty on his head, bin Laden has evaded capture and has regularly taunted the United States and its allies through warnings issued on video and audio cassettes.
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