DUBAI (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden issued a letter Thursday urging Pakistani Muslims to defend Islam against what he described as a Christian crusade, Qatar's al-Jazeera satellite television said. (Read photo caption below)
The television showed a picture of the letter, handwritten in Arabic, which it said was signed by bin Laden. The letter was dated Thursday.
``Muslims in Afghanistan are being subjected to killing and the Pakistani government is standing beneath the Christian banner,'' the letter said.
In Gaza, British Prime Minister Tony Blair voiced support for Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf who he said ``is trying to do his best for the people of Pakistan.''
Blair's official spokesman told reporters that the letter ''removes any doubts that he (bin Laden) is about anything other than destabilizing the region.''
PHOTO CAPTION:
Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden has issued a letter urging Pakistani Muslims to defend Islam against what he described as a Christian crusade, Qatar's al-Jazeera satellite television reported November 1, 2001. Bin Laden is seen in this undated file photo. (Reuters)