Bin Laden tape a fake, Swiss lab says

The Toronto Star (Canada) ^ | Nov. 28, 2002. 06:23 PM | AP

[FreedomCalls]

Scientists compared recording to 20 other tapes of terror chief

PARIS (AP) - The latest audiotape statement attributed to accused terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden is not authentic, a Swiss research institute said. The Lausanne-based Dalle Molle Institute for Perceptual Artificial Intelligence said it is 95-per-cent certain the tape does not feature the voice of the long-absent terrorist leader.

The review of the tape was commissioned by France-2 television and its findings were presented by the institute's Professor Herve Boulard in a special TV report shown late Thursday.

He said the institute compared the voice on the tape, first aired two weeks ago on Al-Jazeera, an Arabic television network, with some 20 earlier recordings of bin laden.

U.S. experts maintain the tape will likely never be fully authenticated because its poor quality defies complete analysis by even the most sophisticated voice-print technology.

But U.S. experts who have heard it generally support the conclusion by U.S. law-enforcement officials that it probably is bin Laden speaking.

In the tape, the speaker refers to recent terrorist strikes U.S. officials believe are connected to bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. If fully verified, it would provide the first evidence in a year that bin Laden survived U.S. bombing in Afghanistan.

[LibKill]

I think I heard Osama was in France.....

THAT TEARS IT! I never liked the French anyway.

Bombs away!

:)

[Cindy]

Opinion: Bin Laden is dead.
Fact: Everytime a "Bin Laden tape" is played attacks happen.

[Revolting cat!]

Well, even if he's dead, they can keep issuing endless greatest hits compilations like they've been doing with Elvis, Lennon, and now Nirvana. Biz is booming, I tell ya!

[Starrgaizr]

Holding a copy of the New York Times? Heck, he'll probably write a column on the op-ed page.

[WildWeasel]

I agree, a Daisy Cutter either evaporated Bin-Laden at Tora Bora or it collapsed the ground and he was smothered

Camera's are cheap. Especially for a someone worth $ 250 million dollars. If the murderer was alive, they'd have a picture of him holding a recent newspaper or on a video tape spewing his BS with a recent newspaper.

[OldFriend]

OBL edits the NYT, isn't that enough for you!

[eccentric]

He sleeps with the 72 swine! virgin swine --- at least they started that way.....

[mrustow]

I think it is reasonable to conclude that this tape is not legit, because it isn't even a tape that he sent in directly, the way he did in the past. Instead, it was played to Al Jazeera over the telephone.

I believe that OBL is dead, but wouldn't try and guess where he fell. He might have died of kidney failure. (One of his doctors, Aziz, says OBL was healthy as a horse when he saw him a year-and-a-half ago, with no kidney problems, but then he also says he doesn't believe that OBL was behind 911.) If he were alive, I'm sure we would be getting videotapes, not phoned-in audiotapes.

[eccentric]

First off, let me state that I am a broken glass Republican and I really like GWB ---- But it seemed very convenient that when various people started demanding proof that Iraq was involved with terrorism, a tape appears with OBL connecting them all: Iraq, 9-11, Bali, Moscow, etc. Doesn't this seem to help Bush's cause?

[F-117A]

Doesn't this seem to help Bush's cause?

On the other hand, it gives ammunition to the anti-war with Iraq crowd that says we have to have Bin ladin or his body first.

[WOSG]

Right, the Liberals whine about how the war is not being won because he's not dead, and once they figure out he is dead, their line will be 'let's move on', as if another welfare program is oh so important compared to demolishing Al Quaeda and this threat to our security.

Better Bin Laden's fate is uncertain, because i treflects the reality of our situation with Al Quaeda - we dont know it's dead yet.

[WOSG]

um, your paranoia is showing ... the 4th is still there, and so is the rest of the Constitution. The Good Guys are in charge in the U.S.

[CFC__VRWC]

On the other hand, it gives ammunition to the anti-war with Iraq crowd that says we have to have Bin ladin or his body first.

It certainly does, as well as arming the Rat whiners who are telling us how badly Bush is botching the war on terrorism.

[Nogbad]

Bump

[WOSG]

Opinion: Bin Laden is dead. Fact: Everytime a "Bin Laden tape" is played attacks happen. Fact 2: The Al Quaeda network still operates. Fact 3: Al Quaeda can live after Bin Laden dies. Conclusion: Our fight goes on, whether Bin Laden is alive or not.

[WOSG]

Convenient or no, Osama has been trying to drag in other fights for some time, to garner a wider Jihadist "coalition". You DID know btw that Iraq offered Bin Laden a sfae haven back in 1998, didnt you?

[clintonh8r]

I agree. If he were alive we'd be seeing videotapes of him every day.

[Dan Day]

I won't believe he is alive until I see him holding up a copy of today's New York Times with today's date on it.

Right, because seeing is believing and pictures don't lie. Oh, wait:

[CFC__VRWC]

BUMP - Outstanding!!!

[ASA Vet]

The Kings backup group?

Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.