Mullah Mohammed Omar

Mullah Mohammed Omar is one of the most influential and devoted spiritual leaders and founders of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. Along with Osama Bin Laden and other Islamic activists, he was behind the 9/11 attacks. Currently, as he fled into hiding and remains at large, Omar is considered to be a serious threat to the USA and its allies. That is why he is among the “Most Wanted” terrorists, and the American Government is ready to pay up to 10 million dollars for any true information bringing to his capture (Rewards for Justice).

Born in 1959, he participated in the resistance battles against the Soviet Union army in the Afghan War and was wounded. After the collapse of the Soviet regime in Afghanistan, Omar and a group of his loyal supporters (including Bin Laden) organized the Taliban movement. In 1996 this organization, led by former military commanders, took over the power in Afghanistan, making Omar the Ruler (Emir) titled “Commander of the Faithful”.  He imposed a very tough version of Islamic laws and unlimited severity upon the country.

Omar expressed the support of devastating attacks on the US in 2001. Like all Taliban leaders, he revealed his extremist viewpoints on the policies of the US. In his interviews right after the tragic events of September 11, he repeatedly underlined the seriousness and brutality of terrorist plans: “..The real matter is the extinction of America..” (BBC). “.. Everyone is afraid of America and wants to please it. But Americans will not be able to prevent such acts like the one that has just occurred [9/11]..” (The Guardian).

After the attacks, Omar is reported to shelter Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda activists in Afghanistan. But in the end of the year 2001, he was forced to break away from his residence in Kandahar during the military operation. Despite the fact that his current location is unknown, Mullah Omar continuously releases some politically daring or threatening statements, which are delivered by his messengers and spokesmen. Recently he is alleged to hide somewhere on Pakistan territories.

Bibliography

• “Interview with Mullah Omar.” BBC News. Official Web-site of BBC. 24 Aug. 2001. 03 Nov. 2007 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1657368.stm>.
• MacDonell, Pat. “Mightier Than the Sword.” The Middle East 1 Feb. 2007: 75.
• “Mullah Omar in His Own Words.” The Guardian 26 Sept. 2001: 46.
• Rashid, Ahmed. “Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia.” New Heaven, CT: Yale University Press, 2003.
• “Wanted. Mullah Omar.” Rewards for Justice Program. US Department of State. 03 Nov. 2007 <http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/index.cfm?page=MullahOmar>.