Purported Bin Laden Tape Likely Authentic

WINS NEWS ^ | 1/5/03

[areafiftyone]

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- A speaker who was purportedly Osama bin Laden said on an audiotape that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was the beginning of the "occupation" of Gulf states for their oil and called on Muslims to keep fighting a holy war in the Middle East. The tape is likely authentic, U.S. officials said Monday.

The voice on the audiotape, which was broadcast Sunday on the Al-Jazeera satellite channel, referred to recent events - including the Dec. 13 capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and peace initiatives between Israel and the Palestinians.

The speaker urged Muslims to "continue the jihad to check the conspiracies that are hatched against the Islamic nation."

A CIA official speaking on condition of anonymity said that a technical analysis determined that the tape was likely an authentic audio message from bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaida terror network.

On CBS's "The Early Show," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge also said that "preliminary assessments says this is the voice of Osama bin Laden."

Al-Jazeera played the audiotape while showing a still photo of bin Laden against a dark blue background.

"My message is to incite you against the conspiracies, especially those uncovered by the occupation of the crusaders in Baghdad under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction, and also the situation in (Jerusalem) under the deceptions of the road map and the Geneva initiative," the speaker said.

A Mideast peace plan dubbed the Geneva Accord was launched Dec. 1 by Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. The phrase "road map" refers to a U.S.-backed plan for a Palestinian state by 2005.

Ibrahim Hilal, Al-Jazeera's editor-in-chief, told The Associated Press the network received the message Sunday. However, he declined to reveal how it was delivered.

Hilal said he was certain the voice on the tape was bin Laden's.

"It is bin Laden's superb and special Arabic language that is very hard to emulate," Hilal said. "It is undoubtedly his voice, his style, and the typical examples from history he uses."

The original message was 47 minutes long but the network aired only 14 minutes, Hilal said.

In those excerpts, the speaker urged Muslims to "liberate the Islamic world from the military occupation of the Crusaders."

He said Gulf countries have given in to U.S. pressures "thinking that would not open the door for toppling of the dictatorial regimes by military force from outside, especially after they saw the capture of their previous comrade in treachery, a hireling of America," referring to Saddam.

The speaker criticized leaders of Muslim nations for refusing to pressure the United States on the Palestinian issue and for not supporting the Palestinian resistance.

He also criticized Gulf countries for receiving members of the U.S.-appointed interim Iraqi Governing Council.

He said the "big powers" were trying to control the region for its oil.

"The occupation of Iraq is the beginning of the full occupation of the other Gulf states. ... The Gulf is the key for control of the world in the point of view of the big powers because of the presence of the biggest deposits of oil."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Monday in London that he had no confirmation that the voice on the tape was bin Laden's but that it was a safe assumption.

"There is no question that the al-Qaida organization and its networks are still around. And so far as we know, Osama bin Laden is still alive," Straw told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Al-Jazeera last broadcast an audiotape purportedly from bin Laden in October. CIA analysts examining that tape concluded it probably was authentic.

---

[E. Pluribus Unum]

"He's dead, Jim."

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[DannyTN]

Yes, Muslims....sacrifice yourselves while I sit in my cave.

This year will be the year that I die as a martyr for the cause. I know I said that last year, but this year I really mean it! You should die as a martyr too! No surer way to get a bunch of virgins.

Allah loves you if you kill women and children. Especially children. You will bring honor to your families if you do, and your families will dance in the street and throw candy.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

The speaker urged Muslims to "continue the jihad to check the conspiracies that are hatched against the Islamic nation."

I think the people of the middle east are beginning to realize that it's their turn to join the human race and start enjoying the fruits of freedom and prosperity.

Osama's vision of the region is about as alien to modern Earth as the Spirit rover is to Mars..

[Dr.Deth]

So, this is the glorious victorious Bin Laden tape that was to be released after the attacks that made 9-11 look like a walk through the park? Are we in our Cave Of Darkness yet?

The speaker criticized leaders of Muslim nations for refusing to pressure the United States on the Palestinian issue and for not supporting the Palestinian resistance.

Oh, STFU already. Sh*t or get off the pot. You don't like Jews on 'your' land, go and take it. Of course, that hasn't been wildly successful the last few times.

Yap yap yap, you flea-bitten little poodle. Keep hiding under the sofa.

[cpdiii]

If Bin Ladin were alive he would want his followers to know it so as to give them inspiration. Iron clad proof would be easy for him to arrange. A high quality video shot with sound and Bin Ladin reading a current newspaper and a DNA sample. That would give absolute poof he was alive and his followers would redouble their efforts to kill us. This has not been done. There has been a very elaborate scheme of releasing tapes (some of which have been bits of old authentic tapes) to give the impression he is alive and well.

Bin Ladin is either severely injured or 'HE IS DEAD, JIM."

[Tricorn]

Those who can do. Those who can't threaten (on and on and on, ad nauseum). Those who are dead issue audio tapes.

[areafiftyone]

To be honest I don't think he is dead but I think he is the biggest coward that ever existed aside from Saddam Insane and is hiding somewhere in the Afghanistan/Pakistan border! Amazing that all these Jihadists are sooo cowardly they can't even show themselves but send other people to do their dirty work. Jihad is another word for Coward!

[Maceman]

Saddam also was making audio tapes from his filthy rat holes not long before his capture.

Fat lotta good they did him.

[Grampa Dave]

A speaker who was purportedly Osama bin Laden said on an audiotape that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was the beginning of the "occupation" of Gulf states for their oil and called on Muslims to keep fighting a holy war in the Middle East. The tape is likely authentic, U.S. officials said Monday.

Ho Humm! The Key word in this pile of BS is "purportedly"!

As you pointed out: "He is Dead JIM!"

"Jim, what part of Dead, don't you understand!"

[LPStar]

Lots of people said Saddam was dead too. Wishful thinking.

[twigs]

I agree with you. I haven't thought he was dead for a long, long time.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

You have every right to believe he is alive.

I believe he is dead, because I like thinking of him as dead.

And, as you say, if he is too big a coward to show his face, then it makes no difference whether he is dead or alive anyway.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Lots of people said Saddam was dead too.

Lots of people said the earth was flat.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Jihad #3,870

*Yaaaaaaaawn*

[Conservative_Nationalist]

"If Bin Ladin were alive he would want his followers to know it so as to give them inspiration"

If Bin Laden was proven dead the majority of these people would still believe he was alive. A lot of people in that part of the world are so ignorant you can't deal with them rationally.

[avg_freeper]

At first researchers disagreed as to whether it was a very thin black glossy Brazilian humpback gopher or a ripe kumquat but later agreed on it authentically being a tape.

[McGruff]

If he's still alive, why doesn't he show his face? Is he that scared of the Bushes?

[LizardQueen]

Yap yap yap, you flea-bitten little poodle. Keep hiding under the sofa.

LOL, exactly what I've been thinking.

Bin-Hidin: STFU, already, you lice-ridden rug jockey.

LQ