INTERVIEW WITH EL MAHDI.
The Diritto publishes from the Arab text in the Abou Maddara an account of an interview of the editor of the Arab paper with the Mahdi. In the course of the interview Mohammed Ahmed said :—" What proves that I never pretended to be the Mahdi is that I am surrounded by the most illustrious sheikhs of Islam and by thousands of partizans who, instead of fighting by my side, would have abandoned me if I had put forward the claim attributed to me by ray enemies. Gordon has been sent with 500,000 thalers to buy over my allies as he succeeded in buying some Arab chief. But I swear in the name of Allah, that if Gordon falls into my hands I will kill him, and will distribute his money among the poorer Mussulmans who fight with me." "But," asked the interviewer, " what will you do in the event of the English arming Indians and Abyssinians against you." "I have no fear of the Indians," was the reply. " Those who are Mussulmans are with us: those who are idolaters are anxious to liberate themselves from English tyranny. As to the Abyssinians not one of them would survive." "And what about the English?" " The sun will melt them. As to myself, if I do not succeed I will perish on the battlefield." I
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Kumara Times, Issue 2482, 3 June 1884, Page 3
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226INTERVIEW WITH EL MAHDI. Kumara Times, Issue 2482, 3 June 1884, Page 3
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