| "Our security and military apparatus is now undertaking surveillance, investigation and monitoring of new US targets other than those previously monitored, and we will hit them in the near future." Sulayman Abu-Ghayth said: "The US campaign has not achieved its real objectives. What we have seen is merely Hollywood-type propaganda by means of which the Americans have been able to annihilate thousands of innocent people and destroy hundreds of villages that have been guilty of nothing in connection with this battle." He pointed out that the most important objectives of the Americans have been the capture of Usamah Bin-Ladin and Mola Omar and the destruction of the Al-Qa'idah organization, and that these objectives have not been achieved. The Al-Qa'idah spokesman made it clear that the US campaign has not been able to eliminate the organization. He said: "The organization [still] exists, and it is functioning with all its capacities and capabilities. In fact, it is functioning with even greater capacity, stronger willpower and determination to continue [its work] and avenge the blood of the innocent victims." Abu-Ghayth said that Al-Qa'idah will launch new attacks against domestic and foreign US interests, "but at the time and place of our choosing and in the manner that we wish". He added: "We have martyrdom elements who are ready and eager to undertake operations against US and Jewish domestic and foreign targets. And, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - we have many such martyrdom elements. We will undertake these martyrdom operations against that arrogant enemy that can be hit only by means of these operations. Americans should get ready, should be on the alert, and should fasten their seatbelts because we will hit America from directions that they will not be expecting." Abu-Ghayth emphasized that the war between the Al-Qa'idah organization and the enemies of Allah is something that is ongoing and is not a cause involving Usamah Bin-Ladin, but rather a cause involving the [Muslim] nation and a struggle between truth and falsehood. He said Muslims should know this fact and completely shoulder their responsibility. He also said: "As long as America insists on following its unjust policy, which is biased against Muslims and favours the interests of the Jews and Christians in the entire world, we will continue to hit America all over the world." The following is the text of the interview: War to continue against US [El Youm] What is your assessment of the US campaign and the war that the United States has waged in Afghanistan? Has this war -which the Americans say is over - achieved its objectives that were initially declared by the US administration? [Abu-Ghayth] In the name of Allah the Merciful the Compassionate, praise be to the Lord of the Worlds, prayers for and peace be upon Allah's most noble creation and the lord of our messengers Muhammad - may Allah pray for him and may he be safe - and may Allah bless him and all of his clan and his followers. We praise Allah, and may He be exalted for allowing us to successfully undertake this hidden religious duty, by which I mean the duty involving the jihad [holy war] for the sake of Allah - may He be mighty and sublime. I also praise Him - may He be praised and exalted - for helping us to give new life to this duty, particularly since we live in an age when the spirit of resistance and steadfastness in the face of falsehood has died. The enemies of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - have been able to kill the spirit of courage and to kill the meaning of courage in the inhabitants of this [Muslim] nation, and they have proceeded to humble this nation and bring it to its knees. They have done this by means of erasing the real doctrine of Islam - the doctrine that is not dependent upon any party, but rather is an integrated doctrine which, in the final analysis, works towards achievement of preparation [for the propagation] of the faith of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - and bringing about the rule of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - over this Earth. As for our war with the United States, it has not ended and it will not end. The battle between the Americans and us is not a battle of interests or a personal battle. It is a battle between truth and falsehood. It is a struggle between good and evil. The Americans only represent the head of this falsehood and the torso of this evil. The struggle between truth and falsehood is an eternal struggle. And the jihad for the sake of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - is also eternal. We all know that the jihad will continue until the Day of the Resurrection. Although America today is the head of this alliance and the head of this worldwide unbelief, we have no idea who the infidels will be tomorrow. We are fighting for the sake of having the word of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - be paramount. We are striving, working, and fighting in order to achieve what was said by Allah in the Koran: "And religion is all for Allah" [Koranic Chapter 8 - Spoils of War, Verse 39]. There is no doubt that, right now, the world is not being ruled in accordance with the law of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. The law of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - has no authority over this Earth. Our jihad and our fighting is being undertaken in order to achieve this great concept, and we are prepared to sacrifice ourselves in order to achieve it, with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. Concerning our assessment - as referred to in your question - regarding the US campaign against us and whether or not it has achieved its objectives, before giving a response concerning this particular issue, I would like to point out something important that all Muslims on this Earth should understand, particularly those who are fighting the holy war for the sake of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. Both Muslims and non-Muslims should know that this war is a contest with ups and downs, and that fortunes are sometimes with us and sometimes against us. They should know that fortunes change. Sometimes they favour the Muslims against the infidels, and sometimes they favour the infidels against the Muslims. This is the law of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - in this life, as was laid down by Allah in the Koran: "If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes that we create to follow one another for mankind" [Koranic Chapter 8 - The Family of 'Imran, Verse 140]. So, fortunes alternate with each other, and we believe that Allah - may He be praised and exalted - in accordance with this wise divine law, had something in mind. We should know well that victory would not always be achieved by one of the two parties. But we believe that, in the end, the believers will certainly be victorious, [as was said by Allah in the Koran]: "Allah hath decreed: Lo! I verily shall conquer, I and My messengers. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty" [Koranic Chapter 58 - She That Disputeth, Verse 21]. Whoever thinks that this road is an easy and simple road paved and covered with flowers and aromatic plants is mistaken and should review the biographies of the messengers and prophets and our Prophet Muhammad - may Allah pray for him and may he be safe - and the biographies of the Companions of the Prophet - may Allah be pleased with them - and those who came after them. We must be well aware of this. And, if we, by the grace of Allah - may He be exalted - lose one of the rounds - as others think - [we should remember that] we have been victorious in many rounds. Allah - may He be praised and exalted - has allowed us to be victorious in this century, or in the last years of the last century and the beginning of this century. He has allowed us to achieve a great historic victory, which has broken the back of the Americans and broken the back of the world's greatest superpower. Allah - may He be praised and exalted - allowed us to be victorious in Nairobi and Dar al-Salam. He allowed us to be victorious in Aden when the US destroyer Cole was hit. And he allowed us to be victorious against them when the world, with its own eyes, saw what our holy warriors achieved for the sake of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - in New York and Washington [DC]. We believe that we are still at the beginning of the war. We have only seen one of the rounds. We are still at the beginning of the journey. If we have been killed or taken prisoner, or if the enemies of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - have succeeded in winning one of the rounds, [we must still remember that] this journey is a long one, and that it is the road that must be followed by Muslims till the Hour [of the Resurrection]. US fails in its campaign in Afghanistan As for the matter of whether or not the US campaign has achieved its objectives, we believe that the campaign has not achieved its real objectives. Although they have achieved some things, what we have seen is merely Hollywood-type propaganda by means of which the Americans have been able to annihilate thousands of innocent people and destroy hundreds of villages that have been guilty of nothing in connection with this battle. If they believe that bringing down the Taleban is an objective [that they have achieved], then the fact is that they still do not know the Afghan people. This is a stubborn nation that can mobilize its ranks and recover what it has lost, no matter how long it takes. During the next few months, America will see that it has fallen into an Afghan swamp that it cannot extricate itself from except by leaving in defeat with its tail between its legs. In fact, it has fallen into the swamp of a [Hollywood] film rather than into the swamp of war. The two most important objectives of the Americans have been the capture of Usamah Bin-Ladin and Mola Omar and the destruction of the Al-Qa'idah organization. And, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - they have not succeeded. [El Youm] Do you consider that this vicious campaign and war has been a total failure because it has not been successful in eliminating the Al-Qa'idah organization by means of either killing or taking prisoner any of the top leaders of this organization and since Usamah Bin-Ladin and Mola Omar, the leader of the Taleban, are still alive? [Abu-Ghayth] Yes, that is exactly what I am thinking. The US campaign - praise be to Allah and thanks to His Grace - has not succeeded in destroying the organization. The organization still exists. I am able to give Muslims the good news that the organization exists and is functioning with all its capacities and capabilities. In fact, it is functioning with even greater capacity, stronger willpower and determination to continue [its work] and avenge the blood of the innocent victims. The Al-Qa'idah organization is not a jelly-like or fragile organization - as some people think - that can be so easily destroyed. This is particularly true because we knew who we were up against and we knew that some day the whole world would face us and stand against us. And this is what has happened. For this reason, we built our organizational structure in such a way [as to deal with this]. Al-Qa'idah monitors new US targets And praise be to Allah, our operations are proceeding in an organized fashion, with precision and in complete secrecy, and by means of cells that have been isolated and to which there is no access via other cells. Our numerous military, security, economic, media and other organizational apparatuses have not been affected. I would like to quote an example by means of which I can provide reassurance to Muslims who have fallen victim to the hostile US media and false US propaganda. I would like to tell them, for example - and this is an item of information that has not yet been made public - that our security and military apparatuses are undertaking surveillance, investigations and monitoring of new US targets other than those previously monitored, and that we will be hitting them in the near future. Muslims - with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - will be overjoyed. We have martyrdom elements who are ready and eager to undertake operations against US and Jewish domestic and foreign targets. And there is no doubt that, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - we have many such martyrdom elements. We will undertake these martyrdom operations against that arrogant enemy that can be hit only by means of these operations. Americans should get ready, should be on the alert, and should fasten their seatbelts because we will hit America from directions that they will not be expecting. [And Allah said in the Koran:] "And we await for you that Allah will afflict you with a doom from Him or at our hands. Await then! Lo! We are awaiting you" [Koranic Chapter 9 - Repentance, Verse 52]. Bin-Ladin to appear on television soon [El Youm] In this context, there have been statements by US President Bush and US officials recently, including Vice-President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defence [Donald] Rumsfeld, that Al-Qa'idah has in mind and is preparing to launch major military attacks and operations against the United States inside the United States, that is, to hit US interests inside America. [What about this?] [Abu-Ghayth] Before I answer this question, please allow me to reassure the Muslims. Allow me to set the record straight concerning the other part of your previous question. Shaykh Usamah Bin-Ladin, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - is alive and well. Everything that is being rumoured about Shaykh Usamah to the effect that he is sick or was hit in Tora Bora is completely devoid of any truth. Also, what is being rumoured about Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri being hit in Tora Bora is completely devoid of any truth. I can state that 98 per cent of the leadership of the Al-Qa'idah organization is safe and sound, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. And they are doing their job in the best possible fashion. The whole world, zealous [Muslims] in our Islamic world, and those who admire those who wage the holy war for the sake of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - will be receiving joyous news concerning an interview that will be held by Shaykh Usamah Bin-Ladin soon - if Allah wills - and he will soon appear on television screens, by the grace of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. As for your question about the statements made by the US administration, let me say that the US administration desires to whitewash matters and wishes to cover up its total failure concerning its ability to monitor what was being intended to be done or carried out by the holy warriors for the sake of Allah on 11 September. America always desires [and is worried about its] well-being. The current US administration, from time to time, starts talking about, and issuing warnings concerning, terrorist attacks against America. I say: Yes, what US officials are saying about us launching attacks against America [is true]. Yes, we will launch attacks against America, but at the time and place of our choosing and in the manner that we wish. Neither Dick Cheney, nor the US secretary of defence, nor any other American can determine the place, time, manner and method of these operations that we will be undertaking or launching. But, let me say that these statements are an effort to whitewash [matters] and to cover up an attack, that is, the attack by the Democratic Party against the Republican Party after the US president said that he knew about the 11 September operations and the big economic problems from which the US government was suffering. [El Youm] Does the Al-Qa'idah organization represent a real danger to US interests in the world? What is the nature of your military action now inside Afghanistan? Are you preparing to launch new attacks against the United [States] and the UN forces both inside and outside the territory of Afghanistan? [Abu-Ghayth] At the beginning of the interview, I said that the struggle is between us and the Americans, the Jews and the apostates, and that it is a struggle between truth and falsehood and between good and evil. As long as falsehood exists and evil is widespread, we will, with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - not cease [fighting]. The war between us and the enemies of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - is ongoing. As long as America insists on following its unjust policy that is biased against Muslims and favours the interests of the Jews and Christians in the entire world, we will continue to hit America all over the world. America does not realize the truth of what we are saying. We are people of action rather than people of words. Yes, we still have the capability to threaten America and also to carry out these threats. Scores of US soldiers die in Afghanistan During the next few days and months, the whole world, with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - will realize the truth of what we have been saying. Yes, we have undertaken many operations against the Americans in Afghanistan, in cooperation with the Taleban and other loyal people who have rejected this occupation and this US hegemony over the blessed lands of Afghanistan. And large numbers of Americans have been killed. But America's vicious propaganda and effort to cover up the facts have prevented the facts from becoming known concerning the large numbers of Americans who have been killed. During the upcoming days and next few weeks, America will be forced to make public the large number of casualties and persons killed in Afghanistan, both during past operations and subsequent operations, in Shahi Kowt. A large number of Americans were killed in this battle in which the holy warriors certainly achieved a victory. The Americans ended up fleeing these vast territories and these rocky mountains. But America has not made these facts public because, unfortunately, no journalist has had access to the place where the battle occurred and been able to photograph the American bodies and coffins that were being transported and held in cold storage at airfields set up for this purpose. In the future, America will be forced to make public the number of those killed because the relatives of those killed will be asking, today or tomorrow or within a year or two, about the fate of their family members in Afghanistan. Coordination Between Al-Qa'idah and Taleban [El Youm] Do I understand, from what you have said, that there is military coordination between you and the Taleban movement regarding launching attacks or campaigns against US and UN forces inside Afghanistan? [Abu-Ghayth] There is coordination between us and all loyal holy warriors in Afghanistan who, as I have said previously, reject US hegemony and this puppet government that America has brought in and established. We are cooperating and coordinating with all loyal individuals of all the loyal factions and groups, above all the Taleban movement. Yes, we are coordinating with everyone concerning launching attacks against the Americans and the other UN forces because we consider that these are invading forces that must leave this Islamic land and that an Islamic government must be established in the territory of Afghanistan. Arab-Muslim rulers conspire against Palestine [El Youm] Allow me to digress a moment from the main topic and take up the issue of the Palestinian people. You are always talking about the Palestine cause and the fact that it is necessary for America to cease its support for Israel. What is your assessment of the Palestinian situation at present, particularly after the massacres committed by the Zionist army of occupation in Jenin and the other Palestinian cities? [Abu-Ghayth] We believe - and Allah is the one to whom we appeal for help - that the cause of Palestine is not that of a national group, nor is it the cause of a particular faction of a national group, but is instead the cause of the Muslims [of the world]. The cause of Palestine is an issue that concerns anyone who testifies that "there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger" in either Arabic or in any other language, as long as he is a Muslim. The cause of Palestine today has been the victim of treachery and a very large conspiracy led by the Arab and Muslim rulers. The Zionist entity would not have been able to continue to exist, to spread, to grow stronger and to take over the territory of Palestine had it not been for this great conspiracy on the part of these rulers who betrayed this cause and betrayed this nation. They have been intent on erasing the identity of the Muslim people in Palestine and have tried to eliminate the Islamic faith from the hearts of the Muslims. And they have fragmented this cause after it used to be an Islamic cause. It became an Arab cause, then it became the cause of the Palestinian people, and after that it became the cause of the occupied territories before and after 1967. There is no doubt that the intention behind this fragmentation [of the Palestine cause] has been something that is very dangerous. But Muslims should know that the Palestine cause is the cause of the Muslims - all Muslims. All those who say, "there is no god but Allah" and are Muslims should know that this cause is their cause. They should support this nation and support the uprising of the Palestinians. Concerning these issues, we say - and this is not rhetoric - that all of the operations we undertake are seen as support for this oppressed Muslim nation, and as support for oppressed people in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and everywhere else. We will hit the infidel American beast that wants to use force to exercise its hegemony over this Earth. We will hit this enemy because it is biased in favour of the Jews and Christians of the world and against the Muslims. As long as America stands together with the Jews and Christians and in their trenches and opposes the Muslims, then - with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - we will continue to hit America until it gets up and leaves these trenches, so that the confrontation can be between us and the Jews who are enemies of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. We believe that the battle with the Jews will continue and that the Hour [of Resurrection] will not take place until we fight the Jews and the Jews disappear behind trees and stones and the stones say: "Oh Muslims, oh servants of Allah! These Jews are behind us. Come and kill them." As for the peace conspiracies and conspiracies of surrender, the conferences of betrayal and the treacherous initiatives of surrender, the last of which was undertaken by [Saudi Crown] Prince Abdallah, we think that they represent nothing [of value] for Muslims. [This last initiative] is a conspiracy and is high treason. The route and path being followed in the case of this initiative is the same as that followed by his fathers and grandfathers in terms of treason against this [Palestine] cause. The Palestine cause is an Islamic cause. And we are continuing [to support this cause]. If the rulers are serious about finding a solution for this problem, then they must open their borders and arm their peoples, and then they will discover that there will be [positive] results within just a few days. Will this enemy be expelled and Palestine liberated or not? In the end, according to the promise of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - this will happen and the Muslims will be victorious, with the permission of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. [El Youm] In conclusion, what is your message that you wish to send to the Arab and Islamic world? [Abu-Ghayth] A very brief message, the upshot of which is that the Al-Qa'idah organization and its holy warriors fighting for the sake of Allah - may He be praised and exalted - are not only concerned with fighting the Americans, Jews and enemies of Allah - may He be praised and exalted. The holy war [jihad] today is a duty to be undertaken by all Muslims. The honour of the Muslims today has been violated, and Muslims today are sitting as prisoners in the jails of the infidels. All Muslims who believe in Allah - may He be praised and exalted - and the Day of Judgment should rise and support their faith, their doctrine and the oppressed Muslims of this Earth. |