Threat Matrix: September 2007

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP170607

Special Dispatch Series - No. 1706
September 6, 2007 No.1706

“Sudanese Islamic Leaders Threaten U.S.: Don’t Send Forces to Darfur; Sudan is the Most Beautiful Place in Which Our Sheikh, Bin Laden, Can Operate”

SNIPPET: “The following are excerpts from Islamic leaders’ conference in Sudan, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on July 3, 2007.

To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1549.htm .”

since this is really worth reading twice, im reposting with highlighting video (bold red) and important aspects of audio (to the long term Qaida message).

— Audio and video messages from Osama bin Laden since Sept. 11, 2001:

_ Sept. 6, 2007: Terror monitoring groups obtain an image of Osama bin Laden from an upcoming video to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

_ June 29, 2006: Bin Laden issues a taped message on an Islamic militant Web site paying tribute to slain al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The 19-minute audio message was packaged with an old still photo of bin Laden as well as images of al-Zarqawi taken from a previous video.

_ May 23, 2006: Bin Laden purportedly says in an Internet audio tape that Zacarias Moussaoui had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 attacks.

_ April 23, 2006: In an audiotape on Arab TV, bin Laden says the West is at war with Islam and calls on his followers to go to Sudan to fight a proposed U.N. force.

_ Jan. 19, 2006: Bin Laden warns that his fighters are preparing new attacks in the United States but offers the American people a “long-term truce” without specifying the conditions, in an audiotape broadcast on Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite channel.

_Dec. 28, 2004: In an hourlong audiotape, he endorses al-Zarqawi as his deputy in Iraq and calls for a boycott of Iraqi elections.

_ Dec. 16, 2004: An audiotape posted on an Islamic Web site shows a man identified as bin Laden praising militants who attacked a U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia earlier that month and calling on militants to stop the flow of oil to the West.

_ Oct. 29, 2004: Al-Jazeera airs a video of bin Laden saying the United States can avoid another Sept. 11 attack if it stops threatening the security of Muslims.

_ May 6, 2004: In an online audiotape released on Islamic forums, bin Laden offers rewards of gold for the killing of U.S. and U.N. officials in Iraq.

_ April 15, 2004: A man identifying himself as bin Laden offers a “truce” to European countries that do not attack Muslims, in an audiotape broadcast on Arab TV stations.

_ Jan. 4, 2004: A speaker thought to be bin Laden says on an audiotape broadcast on Al-Jazeera that the U.S.-led war in Iraq is the beginning of the “occupation” of Persian Gulf states for their oil. He calls on Muslims to keep fighting a holy war in the Middle East.

_ Sept. 10, 2003: In the first video image of bin Laden in nearly two years, he is shown walking through rocky terrain with top deputy Ayman al-Zawahri. In an accompanying audiotape, a voice purporting to be bin Laden’s praises the “great damage to the enemy” on Sept. 11 and mentions five hijackers by name.

_ April 7, 2003: In an audiotape obtained by The Associated Press in Pakistan, bin Laden exhorts Muslims to rise up against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other governments it claims are “agents of America,” and calls for suicide attacks against U.S. and British interests. The CIA determines the 27-minute tape is likely authentic.

_ Feb. 13, 2003: An audiotape purported to be of bin Laden reads a poetic last will and testament in a recording first obtained by the British-based Islamic Al-Ansaar news agency. Bin Laden says he wants to die a martyr in a new attack against the U.S.

_ Feb. 11, 2003: Bin Laden tells his followers to help Saddam Hussein fight Americans in an audiotape broadcast on Al-Jazeera. U.S. officials say they believe the tape to be authentic.

_ Nov. 12, 2002: Al-Jazeera broadcasts a brief audiotape in which a voice attributed to bin Laden threatens new terrorism against the U.S. and its allies, and calls the Bush administration “the biggest serial killers in this age.” U.S. experts say the tape can’t be authenticated because of its poor quality.

_ Dec. 13, 2001: U.S. Defense Department releases videotape of bin Laden in Afghanistan on Nov. 9, 2001, saying the destruction of the Sept. 11 attacks exceeded even his “optimistic” calculations.

from: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/5114395.html

QAEDA'S COMPLETED WARNING CYCLE - READY TO ATTACK? (March 3, 2005)

By Michael Scheuer

DCI Porter Goss's testimony before Congress on February 16 that Soviet nuclear material could be in al-Qaeda's hands is a troubling coda to speeches by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri in late 2004. Bin Laden's October 30 speech was treated by the media as an attempt to influence the election. Most post-speech commentary also claimed the speech moved bin Laden away from war and toward political discourse. That the speech was directed to the American people is clear. What received little notice, however, is that the speech - and Zawahiri's in November 2004 - completed a cycle of statements warning Americans, and preparing the Muslim world, for an al-Qaeda attack more severe than 9/11.

After 9/11, bin Laden received sharp criticisms from Islamist scholars that dealt with the al-Qaeda chief's failure to satisfy several religious requirements pertinent to waging war. The critique focused on three items: (1) insufficient warning; (2) failure to offer Americans a chance to convert to Islam; and (3) inadequate religious authorization to kill so many people. Bin Laden accepted these criticisms and in mid-2002 began a series of speeches and actions to remedy the shortcomings and satisfy his Islamist critics before again attacking in the United States.

Bin Laden devoted most attention to warning Americans that, to prevent another 9/11-type attack, they had to elect leaders who would change U.S. policies toward the Islamic world. He focused especially on the U.S. presence in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and Afghanistan, unqualified support for Israel, as well as support for Muslim tyrannies in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. Animosity toward these policies had long been a staple of bin Laden's statements, but since 2002 he has spoken directly to Americans about what they - not their leaders - must do to avoid another attack.

In America's democratic system, bin Laden said, U.S. leaders are elected by the people and stay in office only if the people support their policies. Arguing that the U.S. policies perceived by Muslims as attacks on Islam have been in place for decades, bin Laden said it is clear that the American people as a whole approve of anti-Islamic policies. "The American people have the ability and choice to refuse the policies of their Government and even to change their Government," bin Laden said in October 2002, "yet time and again polls show that the American people support the policies of the elected Government." On this basis, bin Laden warned Americans on four occasions between mid-2002 and October 2004 that they would be responsible for any military disaster that befell them if they did not elect leaders who would change the policy status quo. Indeed, bin Laden's speech of 30 October 2004 appears to be an exceptionally explicit warning. It was largely devoid of the religious and historical allusions usually present in his speeches, as if he wanted to ensure that translators would get his warning to Americans quickly and clearly. (Al-Jazeera, 30 October, 12 Nov 02; Waaqiah.com, 26 Oct 02)

Parallel to the warnings, bin Laden on two occasions since 2002 asked Americans to convert to Islam as the means of terminating the war al-Qaeda is waging against the United States. "We call you to Islam," bin Laden said on both occasions, addressing himself to President Bush - as the leader of the American people - and asking him to lead his countrymen to Islam. He also offered to serve as guide and teacher for the American people, urging them to "follow the right path" to Islam. "I am an honest adviser to you." bin Laden concluded, "I urge you to seek the joy of life and the after life.... I urge you to become Muslims...." (Al-Jazeera 6 Oct 02; Waaqiah.com, 26 Oct 02)

To remedy the criticism of inadequate religious authorization for mass American casualties, bin Laden received the necessary sanction from a young, radical Saudi Shaykh named Hamid bin al-Fahd. In May 2003, al-Fahd published a fatwa on his website entitled "A Treatise on the Legal Status of Using Weapons of Mass Destruction Against Infidels." (FBIS, May 23 2003) In this lengthy work, al-Fahd affirmatively answered the question of whether it was permissible under the four schools of Sunni Islam for the mujahideen to use nuclear weapons against the United States. Bin al-Fahd concluded that each school did permit the use of such weapons and that the mujahideen would be justified in inflicting millions of casualties in the United States. "Anyone who considers America's aggression against Muslims and their lands during the last decade," al-Fahd maintained, "will conclude that striking her is permissible merely on the rule of treating one as one has been treated. Some brothers have totaled the number of Muslims killed directly or indirectly by their [America's] weapons and come up with the figure of nearly ten million."

Thus, when bin Laden spoke to Americans in October 2004, he was tying up loose ends leftover from 9/11 and telling Americans again that changing the "policy of the White House ... [is] the ideal way to prevent another Manhattan...." (Al-Jazeera 30 Oct 04) By then he had repeatedly warned Americans that al-Qaeda would attack unless U.S. policies were changed. Strange and even comic sounding to American and Western ears, bin Laden's warnings and invitation to conversion are meant to satisfy Islamic scholars, and Muslims generally, that al-Qaeda has abided by the Prophet Muhammad's instructions of offering a warning to the enemy before launching an attack. Likewise, Shaykh al-Fahd's treatise attempts to overcome the lack of religious grounding for mass casualties for which Islamic scholars criticized the 9/11 attack, and will be used by bin Laden as such after his next attack against the United States.

In this overall context, the November 28 2004 speech by deputy al-Qaeda chief Zawahiri seems to have brought closure to the warning cycle begun by bin Laden in 2002. In his speech, Zawahiri spoke more in sorrow than anger when he gave Americans "a final piece of advice." He said that Americans had again elected leaders who would keep the status quo in U.S. foreign policy toward the Islamic world. Noting that al-Qaeda had repeatedly warned against this course of action, Zawahiri implied that Americans would get no more warnings and that they would have only themselves to blame for future disasters. "The results of your elections don't concern us," Zawahiri said about the policy status quo, "What matters to us is the way in which the United States behaves toward Muslims." (AFP, 30 November 2004)

Since November 2004, Zawahiri and bin Laden each have made two statements. They focused on Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the continuing threat of "The Crusaders"; none warned Americans or even specifically addressed the United States. These recent statements mirror the non-specific statements that were issued by bin Laden and Zawahiri before earlier attacks -such as 9/11 (2001), The USS Cole (2000), and the East Africa Embassy bombings (1998)- and suggest that bin Laden believes he has satisfied his post-9/11 critics. If Zawahiri's November 28 speech did conclude al-Qaeda's warning cycle, it probably means the group is ready to attack in the United States, a situation that makes DCI Goss's statement that Soviet nuclear materials may be held by al-Qaeda all the more troubling.

Michael Scheuer served in the CIA for 22 years before resigning in 2004. He served as the Chief of the bin Laden Unit at the Counterterrorist Center from 1996 to 1999. He is the once anonymous author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror and Through Our Enemies' Eyes: Osama bin Laden, Radical Islam, and the Future of America.

CNN Breaking News:

Usama bin Laden to Address the U.S. on 9/11 Anniversary (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heDhW3LIWMc 9min 51 sec

Usama bin Laden to Address the U.S. on 9/11 Anniversary (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS_U4ml8Nv0 4min 9 sec

That pic was shown on Fox News today. It appears the feds are worried about the posts on there. Looks like TM had it before the news channels. :)

Was the 9/10/03 video the only post-9/11/01 UBL videotape (not audio only) deliberately released by al Qaeda up until the “Address to the American People” on 10/29/04? I’m not counting that 12/13/01 video because I seem to recall that was not released by al Qaeda but was seized in Afghanistan and released by the DoD to prove UBL had indeed claimed responsibility for 9/11.

The 50-second archived clip from July of UBL in the mountains preaching martyrdom was (if I recall) the first released clip of him with both video and audio since 10/29/04.

Two weeks after that was a second video release involving UBL with the footage from that very 9/10/2003 video commemerating the second anniversary of 9/11.

This coming UBL “Address to the American People” will be the third.

is Bin Laden supposed to be upside down on Drudge LOL

The inset box “comes ashore” across from Nova Scotia. That would be up near Maine and north of both NYC and Boston. It is obviously not a map with a coastline drawn in detail, but if you look at the eastern seaboard you’ll notice two slight “bumps”. Those probably correspond to Cape Hatteras (NC) and Cape Cod (MA) which are both outside the box.

I wouldn’t really look at it as a roadmap indicating an exact target, but a symbol of a three-part conflagration (three towers burning instead of the actual two with a fourth plume billowing behind them) covering two continents (North America and Europe), and in particular, one or more of the four nations named as targets by the leader of the Taliban before he was killed this spring (US, UK, Germany, Canada).

It seems more symbolic of general national targets than state or city targets.

Thank you nw.

He looks a little sick, doesn’t he.

Good highlights.
Looks like he’s fulfilling the requirements of his fatwa by making multiple warnings.
Is the “gift” a final warning or opportunity to evacuate and/or avoid harm within a certain time frame?
Gold jumped $14 today, and combined with the huge put options out there, it’s ALARMING.

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/FBI/a0741/final.pdf

REDACTED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
FOLLOW-UP AUDIT OF THE
TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the Inspector General
Audit Division

Audit Report 07-41
September 2007

#

Thanks to RDTF for pointing to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1892277/posts

“Terrorists foil FBI watchlist”
Yahoo News ^ | September 6, 2006 | LARA JAKES JORDAN

Posted on 09/06/2007 5:10:53 PM PDT by WmShirerAdmirer

WASHINGTON

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Terrorist Screening Center director Leonard Boyle said the technology glitch resulted in data not being included on alert lists tailor-made for some agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an arm of the Homeland Security Department. But he said the entire watch list is available to officials — including most police and other law enforcement agencies — that rely on National Crime Information Center data to do background checks.

“For technical reasons, about 20 identities or records did not get distributed as completely as they should have,” Boyle said in an interview. The CPB can access the crime center data, Boyle said, but the FBI did not send the watch list data directly to CBP systems “as they should have been.”

The two systems will be consolidated within six months, Boyle said.”

September 4, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://cleveland.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2007/securitiesfraud090407.htm

Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that an information was filed charging Stephen J. Glantz with one count of Securities Fraud and one count of False Statements.

Glantz, age 54, resides in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

The Information alleges that from in or about August 2002, through in or about November 2005, Glantz engaged in Securities Fraud by improperly manipulating the stock price of Innotrac Corp., a full-service order fulfillment and logistics provider, located in Duluth, Georgia. Innotrac’s stock trades on the NASDAQ. The Information alleges that Glantz used a number of manipulative trading techniques to assist his client, David A. Dadante and the IPOF Fund he controlled, in artificially inflating the price of Innotrac stock from a low of approximately $2.19 per share, on or about October 15, 2002, to a high of approximately $12.00 per share on or about March 1, 2004. Glantz conducted unauthorized transactions using Innotrac stock in client accounts to generate commissions and, in some instances, sought to conceal the unauthorized trades by misstating the nature of the transactions on client order tickets.

Glantz is also charged with making materially false and fraudulent statements and representations to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the United States Attorney’s Office during the investigation of this scheme.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Roberts, following investigation by the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Midwest Regional Office in Chicago.

An Information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=47320

“Air Force Investigates Alleged Nuke Transfer, Pentagon Spokesman Says”

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=47321

Coalition Forces Continue to Disrupt al Qaeda in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2007 – Coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained 25 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq’s operational networks in the Tigris River Valley and Kirkuk today.

Coalition forces conducted two raids in and around Tarmiyah targeting senior members of al Qaeda’s network in the northern belts around Baghdad. During one raid, three armed men drew their weapons when the ground forces approached them. Coalition forces engaged the three armed men, killing them. As the ground forces continued to secure the area, they observed two men, one who was carrying a rifle, maneuvering into position against them. Coalition forces engaged and killed both.

During the second raid, a man drew his pistol on coalition forces, who responded by engaging and killing the armed terrorist. Between the two raids, the ground forces detained seven suspected terrorists.

In other operations today:

— Coalition forces used intelligence gained during operations Aug. 30 to capture a suspected close associate of al Qaeda senior leaders. The ground forces detained six additional suspected terrorists during the operations in Samarra and Tikrit.

— Near Baqubah, coalition forces captured a suspected member of an al Qaeda cell believed to be responsible for attacks on coalition forces and Iraqi civilians. Intelligence reports indicate the cell member helped emplace snipers and used illegal checkpoints to kidnap civilians and hold them for ransom. Nine more individuals were detained for their alleged ties to the terrorist cell.

— Iraqi special operations soldiers with U.S. Special Forces advisors were engaged by Shiia extremist militants in the Baghdad area. The extremists are part of a terrorist cell responsible for attacking local police and conducting illegal checkpoints to intimidate, extort and murder local citizens. When Iraqi and U.S. troops entered the area, they immediately came under fire from more than a dozen extremists firing from the rooftops of surrounding buildings. Iraqi and U.S. forces then responded with suppressive fire and directed aerial fires onto targeted buildings against the armed gunmen. Four buildings were damaged, including two enemy strongholds that sustained major damage and two surrounding buildings that sustained moderate damage.

— Iraqi and coalition forces in Kirkuk detained one suspected terrorist during an operation targeting a car-bombing cell there.

“We want to cripple the al Qaeda in Iraq network, so it is unable to plan and execute vicious attacks against the Iraqi people,” said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “Each operation gives us better information with which to target and attack them.”

Iraqi and coalition forces continued their pursuit of al Qaeda in northern Iraq by launching Operation Lightning Hammer II yesterday. The operation, involving about 14,000 Iraqi troops partnered with more than 12,000 coalition forces, is spearheaded by U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police forces stationed throughout Ninewah province. Attack helicopters, close-air support, Bradley fighting vehicles, Stryker vehicles and tanks compliment the combined effort to deny al Qaeda safe haven in Iraq.

“Al Qaeda cells were driven from Baqubah in Diyala (province) due to Operation Arrowhead Ripper in June and July and then pursued in the Diyala River Valley during Operation Lighting Hammer in August,” said Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of Task Force Lightning and Multinational Division North. “Our main goal with Lightning Hammer II is to continue to pursue and apply constant pressure to the terrorist cells operating in MNDN and destroy them where they attempt to hide.”

Last night, Iraqi forces with coalition support targeted criminal elements in the Washash neighborhood in western Baghdad who were involved in murder, extortion of local citizens and attacks on local police. Coalition forces continue to stand with the government of Iraq in welcoming the commitment by Muqtada al-Sadr to stop attacks by his followers. It appears many members of the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia are fulfilling Sadr’s pledge to stop attacks and reduce the violence, military officials said.

Earlier this week, coalition attack helicopters destroyed three vehicles and killed four insurgents after an attack on a U.S. combat patrol in Samarra on Sept. 4. Paratroopers from the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment were investigating an improvised explosive device when they received small-arms fire from unknown insurgents. Apache helicopters, which had been called in to assist, observed two white cars approaching the U.S. patrol, engaging the forces with small-arms fire. The helicopters destroyed the vehicles. Aircrews observing multiple secondary explosions after both exploded, indicating the presence of munitions.

The forces then searched the remains of the two vehicles and found an AK-47 rifle, two machine guns, a rocket-propelled grenade and a suicide vest. Four insurgents were killed in the attack, and one was wounded. As the paratroopers conducted their assessment, another vehicle approached with three men carrying AK-47s and a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher. The attack helicopters disabled the vehicle, but the occupants fled the scene. Upon searching the vehicle, soldiers discovered additional weapons, several black masks and explosives.

“Through decisive action, our forces quickly repelled this attack and revealed these insurgents for the cowards they are,” said Army Col. Bryan Owens, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. “Time after time, our paratroopers have successfully eliminated these threats using experience and superior training.”

Elsewhere, soldiers from 2nd Iraqi Army Division captured a known key al Qaeda financier and his associate during an operation in Mosul on Sept. 3. Both men were positively identified as al Qaeda members, and one admitted that he is a key financier and negotiates with families for the release of victims kidnapped for extortion. Funds totaling over 250 million Iraqi dinar — the equivalent of more than $200,000 — as well as multiple identification cards and correspondence were found in the suspect’s vehicle.

“The capture of these men by the Iraqi army and loss of the financing they provided will be felt by all those who profit from kidnapping and crimes against the people of Nineveh province,” said Army Lt. Col. Jeff Stewart, executive officer of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “Our brothers in the Iraqi security forces have struck a blow directly against the terrorists and criminals who threaten Iraqi citizens and the rule of law.”

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

The recent martyrdom videos from the field and as Sahab show young men on their path to death in some cases and in others shoe their last words... this has been one theme in some al Qaida videos for as long as there have been al Qaida videos. Hezbollah does very similar, records the eventual bomber then uses him as a recruit for others. Fame and paradise...

Not saying this is it... but, I wonder if bin Laden would have a "production" ready to go when he martyrs himself -- if that wish of his can ever come true.

Has a leader of an islamist terror group ever martyred himself in any meaningful way? One has to wonder what something like that could do to cement the cause of a growing organization.

I think the image shown (if it's from the film to be released and it may not be) looks touched up -- I resized then smoothed. Not an exact science, but. It's nearly the same as the Oct 04 video, shorter beard and darker (hand done?). We know as Sahab digitally 'enhances' videos.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=terroristfinancing

#

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/018065.php
(AP)

September 6, 2007
“How small money transfers from Europe help finance jihad”

MILAN, ITALY

#

Previously...

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016798.php
(AKI)

June 7, 2007
“Italy: Alleged Al-Qaeda jihadists arrested in Milan”

http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

#

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/018058.php
(IRNA)

September 6, 2007
“Ahmadinejad: Iran aims at ‘global government’”

How come Laura has been so quite in all of this? No mention of it on her site even that I can find.

9/11 6th Anniversary: New Bin Laden Video Coming and Islamist “Special Gift” Promised
By Jeffrey Imm

The SITE Intelligence Group reports that a new Osama Bin Laden video message is forthcoming. SITE states that the new Osama Bin Laden message will be “addressing the American people on the sixth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001.”

ABC also reports this stating that a Jihadist web site posting made this afternoon announced the planned Osama Bin Laden video stating: “Soon, with the permission of God, a new visual tape, the Sheikh, the Lion, Osama bin Laden. May God protect him.”

Associated Press has also reported this stating: “Intelcenter, which is based in Alexandria, Va., and also monitors Islamic Web sites, said the video was expected within the next 72 hours, or by Sunday. That would come before the sixth anniversary next Tuesday of the World Trade Center attack.”

The SITE Intelligence Group also states that “image of bin Laden contained in the banner found on jihadist forums is reminiscent of his last video appearance in 2004, but his beard is now completely black, as it was previously streaked with grey.” AP reports SITE’s Rita Katz as speculating that Bin Laden has dyed his beard: “ ‘I think it works for their benefit that he looks young, he looks healthy,’ Katz said of the new image.”

In a potentially related story, FOX News is reporting that “Federal counterterrorism officials are analyzing a posting on an Islamic forum Web site that warns of “a special gift” to be given on the sixth anniversary of Sept. 11”.

FOX News reports that “warning was posted Sept. 2 on a site frequented by radical groups and said in part that ‘there will be a special gift coming on the day of the blessed invasion of Manhattan.’ “

In addition, both Laura Mansfield and the SITE Institute report the release of a new 40 minute video from Al Qaeda’s “Azzam the American” to jihadist forums on September 5. Laura Mansfield has provided the video link for download.

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/09/obl_video_coming.php