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Apparent bin Laden message airs
Statement said
to be al-Qaida leader calls for Muslims to repel attack on Iraq
NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES
Feb. 11 — An audio tape purported to carry the voice of Osama bin Laden called on Iraqis to carry out suicide attacks against Americans and defend themselves against a U.S. attack.
THE SPEAKER on the tape, aired on the al-Jazeera Arab satellite station, described al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan withstanding heavy U.S. bombardment by hiding in trenches.
“With all the might of the enemy, they were unable to defeat us and take over that position. ... We hope that our brothers in Iraq will do the same as we did,†said the voice.
The speaker said the United States was waging a psychological war against Iraq and urged Muslims to stage suicide attacks on Americans.
He said Muslims who go along with the United States in a war against Iraq were infidels and should be seen as targets of a jihad, or holy war.
“We are following with great concern the preparations of the crusaders to launch war on the former capital of Muslims and to install a puppet government,†said the speaker.
The statement said the attack on Iraq was being led by the United States to tip the regional balance of power in favor of Israel.
“Fight these despots. I remind you that victory comes only from God,†the audio statement said.
Analysts familiar with bin Laden’s voice said the audio tape seemed to be authentic.
“When you listen to the tape, you can tell it’s Osama bin Laden’s voice,†Yasser Thabet, a broadcast editor at al-Jazeera.
He also said the tape appears to be authentic because the television station got it through the same means as previous bin Laden statements. He did not elaborate.
Al-Jazeera has often received audio tapes and statements said to come from bin Laden, blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on U.S. cities.
Before the tape even aired, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate panel of its existence and said it would show why the world needs to be concerned about Iraqi ties to terrorism.
Powell said he had read a transcript of “what bin Laden — or who we believe to be bin Laden†would be saying, “where once again he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq.â€
“This nexus between terrorists and states that are developing weapons of mass destruction can no longer be looked away from and ignored,†Powell told the Senate Budget Committee.
In the past Al Jazeera has angered the Bush administration by broadcasting statements from bin Laden, blamed by Washington as the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The United States has also said in the past it is not sure if bin Laden is alive or dead.
However, a statement surfacing now could bolster the White House case for war with Iraq.
The United States has accused Iraq of links with al Qaida, a charge Saddam denied earlier this month.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/842500.asp?0cv=CA01
Statement said
to be al-Qaida leader calls for Muslims to repel attack on Iraq
NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES
Feb. 11 — An audio tape purported to carry the voice of Osama bin Laden called on Iraqis to carry out suicide attacks against Americans and defend themselves against a U.S. attack.
THE SPEAKER on the tape, aired on the al-Jazeera Arab satellite station, described al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan withstanding heavy U.S. bombardment by hiding in trenches.
“With all the might of the enemy, they were unable to defeat us and take over that position. ... We hope that our brothers in Iraq will do the same as we did,†said the voice.
The speaker said the United States was waging a psychological war against Iraq and urged Muslims to stage suicide attacks on Americans.
He said Muslims who go along with the United States in a war against Iraq were infidels and should be seen as targets of a jihad, or holy war.
“We are following with great concern the preparations of the crusaders to launch war on the former capital of Muslims and to install a puppet government,†said the speaker.
The statement said the attack on Iraq was being led by the United States to tip the regional balance of power in favor of Israel.
“Fight these despots. I remind you that victory comes only from God,†the audio statement said.
Analysts familiar with bin Laden’s voice said the audio tape seemed to be authentic.
“When you listen to the tape, you can tell it’s Osama bin Laden’s voice,†Yasser Thabet, a broadcast editor at al-Jazeera.
He also said the tape appears to be authentic because the television station got it through the same means as previous bin Laden statements. He did not elaborate.
Al-Jazeera has often received audio tapes and statements said to come from bin Laden, blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on U.S. cities.
Before the tape even aired, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate panel of its existence and said it would show why the world needs to be concerned about Iraqi ties to terrorism.
Powell said he had read a transcript of “what bin Laden — or who we believe to be bin Laden†would be saying, “where once again he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq.â€
“This nexus between terrorists and states that are developing weapons of mass destruction can no longer be looked away from and ignored,†Powell told the Senate Budget Committee.
In the past Al Jazeera has angered the Bush administration by broadcasting statements from bin Laden, blamed by Washington as the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The United States has also said in the past it is not sure if bin Laden is alive or dead.
However, a statement surfacing now could bolster the White House case for war with Iraq.
The United States has accused Iraq of links with al Qaida, a charge Saddam denied earlier this month.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/842500.asp?0cv=CA01
They admit to receiving the tape in the same way the other Bin-Laden tapes surfaced! Al-Jazeera is no good in my book!