The Taliban on Monday vowed to intensify raids against foreign troops in Afghanistan and also said it would attack civilians in Europe, in two separate threats made on television and the Internet.
Fugitive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar pledged to step up incursions against foreign forces in Afghanistan, in an Internet message marking the start of the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr feast.
"The coming months will witness an intensification and better organization of the resistance against the crusaders (in Afghanistan)," Omar wrote in the message, the authenticity of which could not be independently confirmed.
Initially written in Pashtun, it was posted in Arabic, with parts translated into English, on the official website of the "Islamic emirate of Afghanistan."
"I ask the mujahedeen to intensify operations against the crusaders... I congratulate the mujahedeen in Iraq for their powerful resistance and urge them to continue on this path," Omar said.
Militants are also planning to launch deadly attacks on civilians in Europe in revenge for the 2001 invasion, a Taliban commander said on British television.
Mullah Mohammed Amin said on Sky News that resurgent militants had built up stockpiles of weapons and were bent on revenge against "the foreign invaders".
{{/usCountry}}Mullah Mohammed Amin said on Sky News that resurgent militants had built up stockpiles of weapons and were bent on revenge against "the foreign invaders".
{{/usCountry}}The Taliban now wanted to export terror to the West, he said. "It's acceptable to kill ordinary people in Europe because these are the people who have voted in the government," he said in an interview conducted in the Pakistani border region.