WASHINGTON, 8 March 2003 — A senior Al-Qaeda leader who was arrested in Pakistan last week has told his captors that “only the American infidels will celebrate” his detention and predicted a spate of attacks on US forces in case of an invasion of Iraq, The Washington Post reported yesterday.
Citing unnamed Pakistani intelligence officials, the newspaper said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, was described as unrepentant and almost cocky during his initial interrogation. According to The Post, a Pakistani official said Khalid lectured his captors on their proper role as Muslims, telling them, “Playing as American surrogate won’t help you or your country.”
Khalid also said that “there are dozens of people like me who will give their lives but won’t let the Americans live in peace anywhere in the world,” the paper quoted the official as saying. Khalid said several times that his arrest would not limit the potential of his network to damage US interests. “Let the Iraq war begin — the US forces will be targeted inside their bases in the Gulf,” the official quoted Khalid as saying.
