Laden hands over mantle of terror to son: Report

Times of India ^ | 10-19-03

[Brian S]

PTI[ SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2003 08:06:03 PM ]

LONDON: Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has appointed his eldest son 26-year-old Saad Bin Laden as his successor and ordered him to attack British and US targets, a report quoting his latest audio tape said on Sunday.

The tape purportedly from the al-Qaeda leader on Saturday promised more suicide attacks inside and outside United States and other countries that supported the Iraq war and demanded the Americans to quit Iraq.

The news that Osama bin Laden had named son Saad as his successor forced British Intelligence Agency Mi5 Chief Eliza Manningham-Buller to warn that al-Qaeda was now stronger than ever, 'The Sunday Express' reported.

Bin Laden's decision to hand over the operations of al-Qaeda is seen as an indication that he is ill, the paper said.

Saad has been linked to last week's killing of Americans in Gaza. For the past one year, he has been based in Iran.

Laden, in his latest audio tape said, "We, God willing, will continue to fight you (US) and will continue martyrdom operations inside and outside the United States until you abandon your oppression and foolish acts."

[Ragirl]

I still think Usama is dead.

[freeangel]

In that case, his son needs to be dead too.

[OldFriend]

I'll ditto that!

[Asclepius]

Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has appointed his eldest son 26-year-old Saad Bin Laden as his successor and ordered him to attack British and US targets, a report quoting his latest audio tape said on Sunday.

This is what syndicated-television medium John Edward told Saad bin Laden in a taped interview. You can hear Saad bin Laden's voice on the tape screaming at his father to "stay away from the light." The program will air on al Jazeera during a Muslim high holy day, the name of which translates roughly to "kill-Jewish-children-day."

[norwaypinesavage]

"Bin Laden's decision to hand over the operations of al-Qaeda is seen as an indication that he is ill."

I would say that being at room temperature for almost two years is, indeed, quite ill.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

He is too young to run Al Qaeda.

But those medieval bastards like the idea of the son assuming the father's power.

They must be totally crushed if they go with him. We have taught them a lesson in violence that they will not soon forget.

[BushisTheMan]

Kill the son, and the AQ group is left leaderless...if you can say that having an unexperienced 26 year old as your leader means you have a leader at all. Yup, I'm also on the Bin Laden is dead bandwagon, and the son is making the tape so that he can transfer loyalty to himself.

[eleni121]

The kid

[tet68]

. For the past one year, he has been based in Iran.

You are with us......or you are with the terrorists.

[Normal4me]

I don't believe he is dead. His tapes made reference to Abbas (Former Pali prime minister) and our 450 Billion dollar deficit and Iraq. Pretty good foresight if he was killed in ToraBora two years ago like everyone assumes. I don't believe he is leading Al Queda or living a very good life either. I still think we should napalm the entire region between Afghanistan and Pakistan and then see if tapes keep coming.

[telebob]

Oh he's dead alright. With all the dough AQ has, they can easily afford a camcorder and a newspaper.

Dead Ladin just can't come to the studio right now...'cuz he's dead.

[winker]

BANG! One well placed round between those evil eyes!

[Brian S]

With we authenticate that the voice on the tapes are Usama, I would have to agree with you. He's not dead.

[Normal4me]

Maybe he is...However, the last video tape he released with 'ol Mulla Omar sitting next to him, some wise-ass archeologist figured out his location from the pattern of the rock outcroppings behind him. LOL

I will either wait for a body or a dna sample before I am convinced.

[WL-law]

I don't believe he is dead. His tapes made reference to Abbas (Former Pali prime minister) and our 450 Billion dollar deficit and Iraq. Pretty good foresight if he was killed in ToraBora two years ago like everyone assumes. I don't believe he is leading Al Queda or living a very good life either. I still think we should napalm the entire region between Afghanistan and Pakistan and then see if tapes keep coming.

Osama's dead -- been dead for a long time.

"Authenticating" his voice is baloney -- it's not science and it hasn't been done.

Now, to the extent that a voice on tape may "sound" like Osama, I have long contended that it is probably his kid's voice -- because familial similarity would be adequate to 'fake' Osama's voice.

So now, to take it full circle, looks like his son is tired of impersonating Dad and has now appointed himself, in effect, leader.

[PoorMuttly]

If he is alive...it is like Donovan's Brain...just a disembodied brain under water, ranting in an aquarium full of wires...sending out his evil thoughts to people like Bert, and his formidable, genius son, Goober of the Sandpit.

May they repent of their disgusting homicidal darkness...or meet a GI bullet, shell or rocket...REAL soon !

NEVER Forget.

[Normal4me]

It's the same thing with Saddam. Everyone saw the palace blow up on TV a day before the attacks were supposed to happen. Everyone figured he was a stain. Later we bombed the restuarant and everyone believed he was a stain (again). Then we find out that he is in Tikrit on the run till this day. I wanna see his head being held up by a soldier then I will say "That @^%$ is one DEAD @!^!!"

[Bars4Bill]

Osama was reduced to something like a Jackson Pollock painting on an Afghan cave wall two years ago.

Any alleged sons of the dead raghead maggot will be similarly "immortalized."

[loudmouths]

Your feelings on the metter are correct. There was intelligence prior to the resturant bombing indicating Hussein had fled to Tikrit.

The bombing after the resturant was faulty info and was most likley designed to cause a misdirection.

It has happened in Afghanistan and is happening in Iraq.

It was well discussed that the high ranking Al Qaeda were with bin Laden and there is undisputed proof that his entourage lived. No video footage means that his health is very poor. His son taking the reigns is borne out of bin Laden's poor health.

There too was intell reports on bin laden fleeing to the tribal areas in Pakistan/Afghnaistan.

I would expect to see video footage coming from bin Laden's son.