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Terror Networks
Binny speaks?
2002-10-06
The Arab satellite station al-Jazeera broadcast an audiotape Sunday in which a male voice attributed to Osama bin Laden said the "youths of God" are planning more attacks against the United States. "By God, the youths of God are preparing for you things that would fill your hearts with terror and target your economic lifeline until you stop your oppression and aggression" against Muslims, said the voice in the audiotape.
Okay. Tells us something new.
There was no way to verify whether the person speaking on the tape was bin Laden, or when the recording was made. The short message was broadcast with a photograph of bin Laden in the background. Al-Jazeera chief editor Ibrahim Helal told The Associated Press by telephone that the station received the tape two hours before the Sunday evening broadcast. He refused to say how the tape was received. "We had no doubt this was bin Laden. It was not only the tone of the voice but also the way he spoke and the logic of the message," Helal said.
Such logic as there was. Full, turgid text is here.
He said the fact the message was so brief "showed that the man (bin Laden) was in tough circumstances and does not have a chance to talk."
There's still no proof his "tough circumstances" don't include an advanced stage of decomposition:
  • The message is generic, there's no indication when it was made — it would be more apt for last October, in fact, than for today.

  • There's no video associated. If they wanted to prove Binny was alive and well, he could be taped holding a recent newspaper, or made a reference to something that's happened since December, such as the Tunisian bombing. Nuttin', honey.

  • My guess would be it's something he did sometime between 9-11 and 10-8-02. "These agents of the Jews which are preparing for an attack against Islamic world in order to divide it" probably refers to the opening of the offensive in Afghanistan, rather than whacking Iraq.

  • "I call you for understanding the message of the two battles of New York and Washington that came as a response to some of your former crimes and know that the one who has started is the real oppressor." There's no reference to anything that's happened since the "two battles." Nothing about Mullah Omar, nothing about Zubaydah, nothing about al-Shibh, nothing about Tunisia.
Verdict: History speaking.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#1  "Verdict: History speaking."
I think so too. Either that, or as I've opined before, he's so badly maimed and/or crippled that they don't dare show him on TV.
Posted by: Kathy K   2002-10-07 06:07:43  

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