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Saddam: Religious duty to fight
01/04/2003 19:18 - (SA)
Baghdad - President Saddam Hussein said in a message to the Iraqi people on Tuesday that jihad (holy war) was a
religious duty and he urged them to fight invading US and British troops wherever they found them.
Saddam, 65, did not appear personally on television as he has twice earlier in the 13-day-old war. His message was read out by Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.
"Jihad is a duty. Whoever dies will be rewarded by heaven ...This is what God requested of you," said Saddam's message.
He said their invasion was "an aggression on the religion, the wealth, the honour and the soul and an aggression on the land of Islam.
"Jihad is a duty in confronting them. Those who are martyred will be rewarded in heaven. Seize the opportunity, my brothers."
"Hit them, fight them...fight them everywhere," he added. "Don't give them a chance to catch their breath."
The call for jihad followed more fighting in the south, air raids on the Iraqi capital, more civilian
deaths - including children - in an air raid, and checkpoint killings that have further fired Arab anger.
The Iraqi leader has delivered two televised addresses since the war began on March 20, and was recently shown with his two sons, Uday and Qusay.
It was not clear why he did not deliver the latest address in person.
- AFX
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