Agakhan Sharief, whose moniker is Osama bin Laden, is currently vigorously running for an up-coming local legislative council election in Southern Philippine.Unlike the world's most-wanted terror suspect, Sharief is known by many in Lanao del Sur province as a peacemaker who has helped broker truces when sporadic clashes have erupted between government troops and Muslim insurgents.
Sporting an 18-inch long beard, turban and a neck scarf similar to that worn by bin Laden in TV images, the 35-year-old Sharief has been campaigning frenziedly for a seat in Lanao's legislative council in May 14 elections.
Sharief, a father of nine and husband of a school teacher, has mixed feelings about bin Laden.
While condemning the killing of innocent people in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., Sharief said he still is not convinced of bin Laden's involvement. Muslims have the right to struggle for living conditions, he said.
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