December 13, 2001 (Wikipedia)

December 13, 2001

On December 13, 2001, the United States State Department released a video tape apparently showing Osama bin Laden speaking with Khaled al-Harbi and other associates, somewhere in Afghanistan, before the U.S. invasion had driven the Taliban regime from Kandahar. The State Department claimed that the tape is authentic and was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan during a raid on a house in Jalalabad.[5] The tape appears to implicate bin Laden in the September 11, 2001 attacks and was aired on many television channels all over the world, with an accompanying English translation provided by the United States Defense Department. In this translation, Osama bin Laden displays knowledge of the timing of the actual attack a few days in advance; the translation attributes the following lines to bin Laden:
"we calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy, who would be killed based on the position of the tower. We calculated that the floors that would be hit would be three or four floors. I was the most optimistic of them all...We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event would take place that day. We had finished our work that day and had the radio on...Muhammad (Atta) from the Egyptian family (meaning the Al Qaida Egyptian group), was in charge of the group...The brothers, who conducted the operation, all they knew was that they have a martyrdom operation and we asked each of them to go to America but they didn't know anything about the operation, not even one letter. But they were trained and we did not reveal the operation to them until they are there and just before they boarded the planes."[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videos_of_Osama_bin_Laden#_note-1


Official English translation as provided by the Defense Department:

Page 1 of 7
TRANSCRIPT OF USAMA BIN LADEN VIDEO TAPE
(Transcript and annotations independently prepared by George Michael,
translator, Diplomatic Language Services; and Dr. Kassem M. Wahba, Arabic language
program coordinator, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins
University. They collaborated on their translation and compared it with translations done
by the U.S. government for consistency. There were no inconsistencies in the
translations.)
In mid-November, Usama Bin Laden spoke to a room of supporters, possibly in
Qandahar, Afghanistan. These comments were video taped with the knowledge of Bin
Laden and all present.
Note: The tape is approximately one hour long and contains three different
segments: an original taping of a visit by some people to the site of the downed U.S.
helicopter in Ghazni province (approximately 12 minutes long); and two segments
documenting a courtesy visit by Bin Laden and his lieutenants to an unidentified Shaykh,
who appears crippled from the waist down. The visit apparently takes place at a
guesthouse in Qandahar. The sequence of the events is reversed on the tape—the end of
his visit is in the beginning of the tape with the helicopter site visit in the middle and the
start of the Usama bin Laden visit beginning approximately 39 minutes into the tape. The
tape is transcribed below according to the proper sequence of events.
Due to the quality of the original tape, it is NOT a verbatim transcript of every
word spoken during the meeting, but does convey the messages and information flow.
EDITOR’S NOTE: 39 minutes into tape, first segment of the bin Laden meeting, begins
after footage of helicopter site visit
Shaykh: (...inaudible...) You have given us weapons, you have given us hope and we
thank Allah for you. We don’t want to take much of your time, but this is the
arrangement of the brothers. People now are supporting us more, even those ones who
did not support us in the past, support us more now. I did not want to take that much of
your time. We praise Allah, we praise Allah. We came from Kabul. We were very
pleased to visit. May Allah bless you both at home and the camp. We asked the driver to
take us, it was a night with a full moon, thanks be to Allah. Believe me it is not in the
country side. The elderly...everybody praises what you did, the great action you did,
which was first and foremost by the grace of Allah. This is the guidance of Allah and the
blessed fruit of jihad.
UBL: Thanks to Allah. What is the stand of the Mosques there (in Saudi Arabia)?
Shaykh: Honestly, they are very positive. Shaykh Al-Bahrani (phonetic) gave a good
sermon in his class after the sunset prayers. It was videotaped and I was supposed to
carry it with me, but unfortunately, I had to leave immediately.
UBL: The day of the events?
December 13, 2001
Page 2 of 7
Shaykh: At the exact time of the attack on America, precisely at the time. He (Bahrani)
gave a very impressive sermon. Thanks be to Allah for his blessings. He (Bahrani) was
the first one to write at war time. I visited him twice in Al-Qasim.
UBL: Thanks be to Allah.
Shaykh: This is what I asked from Allah. He (Bahrani) told the youth: “You are asking
for martyrdom and wonder where you should go (for martyrdom)?” Allah was inciting
them to go. I asked Allah to grant me to witness the truth in front of the unjust ruler. We
ask Allah to protect him and give him the martyrdom, after he issued the first fatwa. He
was detained for interrogation, as you know. When he was called in and asked to sign, he
told them, "don’t waste my time, I have another fatwa. If you want me, I can sign both at
the same time."
UBL: Thanks be to Allah.
Shaykh: His position is really very encouraging. When I paid him the first visit about a
year and half ago, he asked me, “How is Shaykh Bin-Ladin?” He sends you his special
regards. As far as Shaykh Sulayman ‘Ulwan is concerned, he gave a beautiful fatwa,
may Allah bless him. Miraculously, I heard it on the Quran radio station. It was strange
because he (‘Ulwan) sacrificed his position, which is equivalent to a director. It was
transcribed word-by-word. The brothers listened to it in detail. I briefly heard it before
the noon prayers. He (‘Ulwan) said this was jihad and those people were not innocent
people (World Trade Center and Pentagon victims). He swore to Allah. This was
transmitted to Shaykh Sulayman Al ((‘Umar)) Allah bless him.
UBL: What about Shaykh Al-((Rayan))?
Shaykh: Honestly, I did not meet with him. My movements were truly limited.
UBL: Allah bless you. You are welcome.
Shaykh: (Describing the trip to the meeting) They smuggled us and then I thought that
we would be in different caves inside the mountains so I was surprised at the guest house
and that it is very clean and comfortable. Thanks be to Allah, we also learned that this
location is safe, by Allah’s blessings. The place is clean and we are very comfortable.
UBL: (...Inaudible...) when people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature, they
will like the strong horse. This is only one goal; those who want people to worship the
lord of the people, without following that doctrine, will be following the doctrine of
Muhammad, peace be upon him.
(UBL quotes several short and incomplete Hadith verses, as follows):
“I was ordered to fight the people until they say there is no god but Allah, and his prophet
December 13, 2001
Page 3 of 7
Muhammad.”
“Some people may ask: why do you want to fight us?”
“There is an association between those who say: I believe in one god and Muhammad is
his prophet, and those who don’t (...inaudible...)
“Those who do not follow the true fiqh. The fiqh of Muhammad, the real fiqh. They are
just accepting what is being said at face value.”
UBL: Those youth who conducted the operations did not accept any fiqh in the popular
terms, but they accepted the fiqh that the prophet Muhammad brought. Those young men
(...inaudible...) said in deeds, in New York and Washington, speeches that overshadowed
all other speeches made everywhere else in the world. The speeches are understood by
both Arabs and non-Arabs–even by Chinese. It is above all the media said. Some of
them said that in Holland, at one of the centers, the number of people who accepted Islam
during the days that followed the operations were more than the people who accepted
Islam in the last eleven years. I heard someone on Islamic radio who owns a school in
America say: “We don’t have time to keep up with the demands of those who are asking
about Islamic books to learn about Islam.” This event made people think (about true
Islam) which benefited Islam greatly.
Shaykh: Hundreds of people used to doubt you and few only would follow you until this
huge event happened. Now hundreds of people are coming out to join you. I remember a
vision by Shaykh Salih Al-((Shuaybi)). He said: “There will be a great hit and people
will go out by hundreds to Afghanistan.” I asked him (Salih): “To Afghanistan?” He
replied, “Yes.” According to him, the only ones who stay behind will be the mentally
impotent and the liars (hypocrites). I remembered his saying that hundreds of people will
go out to Afghanistan. He had this vision a year ago. This event discriminated between
the different types of followers.
UBL: (...Inaudible...) we calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy,
who would be killed based on the position of the tower. We calculated that the floors that
would be hit would be three or four floors. I was the most optimistic of them all.
(...Inaudible...) due to my experience in this field, I was thinking that the fire from the gas
in the plane would melt the iron structure of the building and collapse the area where the
plane hit and all the floors above it only. This is all that we had hoped for.
Shaykh: Allah be praised.
UBL: We were at (...inaudible...) when the event took place. We had notification since
the previous Thursday that the event would take place that day. We had finished our
work that day and had the radio on. It was 5:30 p.m. our time. I was sitting with Dr.
Ahmad Abu-al-((Khair)). Immediately, we heard the news that a plane had hit the World
Trade Center. We turned the radio station to the news from Washington. The news
continued and no mention of the attack until the end. At the end of the newscast, they
December 13, 2001
Page 4 of 7
reported that a plane just hit the World Trade Center.
Shaykh: Allah be praised.
UBL: After a little while, they announced that another plane had hit the World Trade
Center. The brothers who heard the news were overjoyed by it.
Shaykh: I listened to the news and I was sitting. We didn't...we were not thinking about
anything, and all of a sudden, Allah willing, we were talking about how come we didn't
have anything, and all of a sudden the news came and everyone was overjoyed and
everyone until the next day, in the morning, was talking about what was happening and
we stayed until four o'clock, listening to the news every time a little bit different,
everyone was very joyous and saying “Allah is great,” “Allah is great,” “We are thankful
to Allah,” “Praise Allah.” And I was happy for the happiness of my brothers. That day
the congratulations were coming on the phone non-stop. The mother was receiving
phone calls continuously. Thank Allah. Allah is great, praise be to Allah.
(Quoting the verse from the Quran)
Shaykh: “Fight them, Allah will torture them, with your hands, he will torture them. He
will deceive them and he will give you victory. Allah will forgive the believers, he is
knowledgeable about everything.”
Shaykh: No doubt it is a clear victory. Allah has bestowed on us...honor on us...and he
will give us blessing and more victory during this holy month of Ramadan. And this is
what everyone is hoping for. Thank Allah America came out of its caves. We hit her the
first hit and the next one will hit her with the hands of the believers, the good believers,
the strong believers. By Allah it is a great work. Allah prepares for you a great reward
for this work. I'm sorry to speak in your presence, but it is just thoughts, just thoughts.
By Allah, who there is no god but him. I live in happiness, happiness...I have not
experienced, or felt, in a long time. I remember, the words of Al-Rabbani, he said they
made a coalition against us in the winter with the infidels like the Turks, and others, and
some other Arabs. And they surrounded us like the days...in the days of the prophet
Muhammad. Exactly like what's happening right now. But he comforted his followers
and said, "This is going to turn and hit them back." And it is a mercy for us. And a
blessing to us. And it will bring people back. Look how wise he was. And Allah will
give him blessing. And the day will come when the symbols of Islam will rise up and it
will be similar to the early days of Al-Mujahedeen and Al-Ansar (similar to the early
years of Islam). And victory to those who follow Allah. Finally said, if it is the same,
like the old days, such as Abu Bakr and Othman and Ali and others. In these days, in our
times, that it will be the greatest jihad in the history of Islam and the resistance of the
wicked people.
Shaykh: By Allah my Shaykh. We congratulate you for the great work. Thank Allah.
December 13, 2001
Page 5 of 7
Tape ends here
Second segment of Bin Laden’s visit, shows up at the front of the tape
UBL: Abdallah Azzam, Allah bless his soul, told me not to record anything
(...inaudible...) so I thought that was a good omen, and Allah will bless us (...inaudible...).
Abu-Al-Hasan Al-((Masri)), who appeared on Al-Jazeera TV a couple of days ago and
addressed the Americans saying: “If you are true men, come down here and face us.”
(...inaudible...) He told me a year ago: “I saw in a dream, we were playing a soccer game
against the Americans. When our team showed up in the field, they were all pilots!” He
said: “So I wondered if that was a soccer game or a pilot game? Our players were pilots.”
He (Abu-Al-Hasan) didn’t know anything about the operation until he heard it on the
radio. He said the game went on and we defeated them. That was a good omen for us.
Shaykh: May Allah be blessed.
Unidentified Man Off Camera: Abd Al Rahman Al-(Ghamri) said he saw a vision, before
the operation, a plane crashed into a tall building. He knew nothing about it.
Shaykh: May Allah be blessed!
Sulayman ((Abu Guaith)): I was sitting with the Shaykh in a room, then I left to go to
another room where there was a TV set. The TV broadcasted the big event. The scene
was showing an Egyptian family sitting in their living room, they exploded with joy. Do
you know when there is a soccer game and your team wins, it was the same expression of
joy. There was a subtitle that read: “In revenge for the children of Al Aqsa’, Usama Bin
Ladin executes an operation against America.” So I went back to the Shaykh (meaning
UBL) who was sitting in a room with 50 to 60 people. I tried to tell him about what I
saw, but he made gesture with his hands, meaning: “I know, I know...”
UBL: He did not know about the operation. Not everybody knew (...inaudible...).
Muhammad ((Atta)) from the Egyptian family (meaning the Al Qa’ida Egyptian group),
was in charge of the group.
Shaykh: A plane crashing into a tall building was out of anyone's imagination. This was
a great job. He was one of the pious men in the organization. He became a martyr.
Allah bless his soul.
Shaykh (Referring to dreams and visions): The plane that he saw crashing into the
building was seen before by more than one person. One of the good religious people has
left everything and come here. He told me, “I saw a vision, I was in a huge plane, long
and wide. I was carrying it on my shoulders and I walked from the road to the desert for
half a kilometer. I was dragging the plane.” I listened to him and I prayed to Allah to
help him. Another person told me that last year he saw, but I didn't understand and I told
December 13, 2001
Page 6 of 7
him I don't understand. He said, “I saw people who left for jihad...and they found
themselves in New York...in Washington and New York.” I said, “What is this?” He told
me the plane hit the building. That was last year. We haven't thought much about it.
But, when the incidents happened he came to me and said, “Did you see...this is strange.”
I have another man...my god...he said and swore by Allah that his wife had seen the
incident a week earlier. She saw the plane crashing into a building...that was
unbelievable, my god.
UBL: The brothers, who conducted the operation, all they knew was that they have a
martyrdom operation and we asked each of them to go to America but they didn’t know
anything about the operation, not even one letter. But they were trained and we did not
reveal the operation to them until they are there and just before they boarded the planes.
UBL: (...inaudible...) then he said: Those who were trained to fly didn’t know the others.
One group of people did not know the other group. (...inaudible...)
(Someone in the crowd asks UBL to tell the Shaykh about the dream of ((Abu-Da’ud)).
UBL: We were at a camp of one of the brother’s guards in Qandahar. This brother
belonged to the majority of the group. He came close and told me that he saw, in a
dream, a tall building in America, and in the same dream he saw Mukhtar teaching them
how to play karate. At that point, I was worried that maybe the secret would be revealed
if everyone starts seeing it in their dream. So I closed the subject. I told him if he sees
another dream, not to tell anybody, because people will be upset with him.
(Another person’s voice can be heard recounting his dream about two planes hitting a
big building).
UBL: They were overjoyed when the first plane hit the building, so I said to them: be
patient.
UBL: The difference between the first and the second plane hitting the towers was twenty
minutes. And the difference between the first plane and the plane that hit the Pentagon
was one hour.
Shaykh: They (the Americans) were terrified thinking there was a coup.
[Note: Ayman Al-Zawahri says first he commended UBL's awareness of what the media
is saying. Then he says it was the first time for them (Americans) to feel danger coming
at them.]
UBL (reciting a poem):
I witness that against the sharp blade
They always faced difficulties and stood together...
When the darkness comes upon us and we are bit by a
Sharp tooth, I say...
December 13, 2001
“Our homes are flooded with blood and the tyrant
Is freely wandering in our homes”...
And from the battlefield vanished
The brightness of swords and the horses...
And over weeping sounds now
We hear the beats of drums and rhythm...
They are storming his forts
And shouting: “We will not stop our raids
Until you free our lands”...
Bin Laden visit footage complete. Footage of the visit to the helicopter site follows the
poem.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2001/d20011213ubl.pdf



Authenticity

The authenticity of the tape has been questioned in the Muslim world for the unlikeliness of a taped confession and that bin Laden is seen wearing a gold ring which he has not been seen wearing in any other pictures. The film Loose Change points out another inconsistency, that although the FBI describes bin laden as being left-handed, he is seen in the video writing with his right hand. Some have speculated that this is not so odd; Bin laden is seen writing a note with his right hand in a photo, this photo also contains a journalist. You will also see Bin Laden signing a document with his right hand in the video footage of his arrival in Sudan. The left hand purportedly carries a heavy negative cultural stigma in Arab countries, and using the left hand in public can constitute a serious insult.

Aside from questions of the December 13, 2001 videotape's authenticity, the accuracy of the translation itself was also called into question by the German TV magazine Monitor (Host: Klaus Bednarz/ARD TV) on December 20, 2002 (German transcript[2]), (Summary in English [3]). Monitor presented very specific criticism of two notarized Arab speaking specialists, Abdel El M. Husseini and orient expert Professor Gernot Rotter, who claimed: "The American translators who listened to the tapes and transcribed them apparently wrote a lot of things in that they wanted to hear but that cannot be heard on the tape no matter how many times you listen to it."

The Monitor segment claimed the following parts of the English translation were incorrect:

"... We calculated in advance the number of casualties who would be killed ..." The translation according to Prof. Rotter and Mr. Husseini is however: "... We calculated the number of casualties ..." - That means the words "in advance" didn't appear in the original and have been added in the text translation transcript.

"... We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event would take place that day ..." The translation according to Prof. Rotter and Mr. Husseini is however: "... We had notification since Thursday ..." - "previous" didn't appear on the original tape, nor does the subsequent statement "... that the event would take place that day ...".

"... we asked each of them to go to America ..." The translation according to Prof. Rotter and Mr. Husseini is however in the passive voice, something like: "... they were required ... (rest inaudible).

The English language transcript and annotations linked on CNN's website, however, were independently prepared by George Michael, translator, Diplomatic Language Services; and Dr. Kassem M. Wahba, Arabic language program coordinator, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. They collaborated on their translation and compared it with translations done by the U.S. government for consistency; they concluded there were no inconsistencies in the translations."[7]

After the tape was released, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "How could there be a doubt in anyone's mind any longer about what we have said from the very, very beginning, that he was the mastermind, he is the head of an organization that participates in this kind of evil activity?" President George W. Bush said it proved bin Laden "has no conscience and no soul".

Ali Abunimah, vice president of the Arab-American Action Network, said that "[t]he tape should dispel any remaining doubt that bin Laden is an evil villain and responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. Most serious people didn't need this tape to be convinced. The tapes that had already been released [by bin Laden] made it clear since he all but took responsibility for the attacks." Viewers of Al-Jazeera seemed unconvinced, at least one saying that bin Laden could have just been bragging to impress his host.


[7]

Who was behind 9/11? – an interview with Osama Bin Laden

By The Daily Ummat of Karachi

Daily Ummat: You have been accused of involvement in the attacks on New York and Washington. What do you want to say about this?

Osama Bin Laden: In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful. Praise be to Allah, Who is the creator of the whole universe and Who made the Earth as an abode for peace for the whole of humankind. Allah is the Sustainer, who sent the Prophet Muhammad for our guidance. I am thankful to Ummat Publications for giving me the opportunity to convey my viewpoint to the people, particularly the valiant and Momin [true Muslim] people of Pakistan who refused to believe the lies of the demon [Pakistani military dictator General Pervez Musharraf].

I have already said that I am not involved in the September 11 attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other human beings as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of battle. It is the United States which is perpetrating every sort of maltreatment on women, children and common people of other faiths, particularly the followers of Islam. All that has been going on in Palestine for the last 11 months is sufficient to invoke the wrath of God upon the United States and Israel. There is also a warning for those Muslim countries that witnessed all of this as silent spectators. What had earlier been done to the innocent people of Iraq, Chechnya and Bosnia? Only one conclusion could be derived from the indifference of the United States and the West to these acts of terror and the patronage of the tyrants by these powers, namely that America is an anti-Islamic power and is patronising anti-Islamic forces. Its friendship with the Muslim countries is just show, or rather deceit. By enticing or intimidating these countries, the United States is forcing them to play a role of its choice. Cast a glance around and you will see that the slaves of the United States are either rulers or enemies of Muslims.

The US has no friends, nor does it want any because the prerequisite of friendship is to come to the level of the friend or consider him on par with yourself. America does not want to see anyone equal to it. It expects slavery from others. Therefore, other countries are either its slaves or its subordinates. However, our case is different. We have pledged slavery to God Almighty alone and after this pledge there is no possibility of becoming someone else's slave. If we did that it would be disregardful both to our Sustainer and to his fellow beings. Most of the nations of the world who are upholding their freedom are the religious ones, which are the enemies of the United States, or which the US itself considers to be its enemies.

The countries which do not agree to become US slaves are China, Iran, Libya, Cuba, Syria [Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia] and Russia. Whoever committed the act of September 11 are not the friends of the American people. I have already said that we are against the American system, not against its people, whereas in these attacks, common American people have been killed. According to my information, the death toll is much higher than what the US Government has stated. But the Bush administration does not want the panic to spread. The United States should try to trace the perpetrators of these attacks within itself; the people who are a part of the US system but are dissenting against it. Or those who are working for some other system; persons who want to make the present century as a century of conflict between Islam and Christianity so that their own civilization, nation, country, or ideology can survive. They may be anyone, from Russia to Israel and from India to Serbia. In the US itself, there are dozens of well-organized and well-equipped groups capable of causing large-scale destruction. Then you cannot forget the American Jews, who have been annoyed with President Bush ever since the Florida elections and who want to avenge him.

Then there are intelligence agencies in the US, which require billions of dollars worth of funds from Congress and the government every year. This [funding issue] was not a big problem until the existence of the ex-Soviet Union but after that the budget of these agencies has been in danger. They needed an enemy. So, they first started propaganda against Osama and the Talibans and then this incident happened. You see, the Bush Administration approved a budget of 40 billion dollars. Where will this huge amount go? It will be provided to the same agencies which need huge funds and want to exert their importance. Now they will spend the money for their expansion and to increase their importance. I will give you an example. Drug smugglers from all over the world are in contact with the US secret agencies. These agencies do not want to eradicate narcotics cultivation and trafficking because their importance would be diminished. The people in the US Drug Enforcement Department are encouraging drug trade in order to show performance and get millions of dollars worth of budget. General Noriega was made a drug baron by the CIA and, in need, he was made a scapegoat. In the same way, whether it is President Bush or any other US President, they cannot bring Israel to justice for its human rights abuses or to hold it accountable for such crimes. What is this? Is it not that there exists a government within the government in the United Sates? That secret government must be asked who carried out the attacks.

Daily Ummat: A number of countries have joined the call of the United States to launch attacks on Afghanistan. These also include a number of Muslim countries. Will Al-Qaeda declare a jihad against these Islamic countries too?

Bin Laden: I must say that my duty is just to awaken the Muslims; to tell them what is good for them and what is not, what Islam says and what the enemies of Islam want. Al-Qaeda was set up to wage a jihad against infidelity, particularly to counter the onslaught of the infidel countries against the Islamic states. Jihad is the sixth undeclared pillar of Islam. [The first five being the basic holy words of Islam: that there is only one God in the entire universe and that Muhammad is the last Prophet of God; prayers; fast; pilgrimage to Mecca; and giving alms.] Every anti-Islamic person is afraid of the jihad. Al-Qaeda wants to keep the jihad alive and active and make it a part of the daily life of the Muslims. It wants to give it the status of worship. We are not against any Islamic country. We do not consider a war against an Islamic country to be a jihad. We are in favour of an armed jihad only against those infidel governments that are killing innocent Muslim men, women and children just because they are Muslims. Supporting the US act is the need of some Muslim countries and the compulsion of others. However, they should think about what will remain of their religious and moral position if they support the attack of the Christians and Jews on a Muslim country like Afghanistan. The orders of Islamic Shariah [jurisprudence] for such individuals, organizations and countries are clear and all the scholars of the Muslim brotherhood are unanimous about them. We will do the same, which is being ordered by the Ameer-ul-Momeneen [the commander of the faithful Afghans] Muhammad Omar and the Islamic scholars. The hearts of the people of Muslim countries are beating with the call of jihad. We are grateful to them.

Daily Ummat: The losses caused in the attacks in New York and Washington have proved that giving an economic blow to the US is not too difficult. US experts admit that a few more such attacks could bring down the American economy. Why is Al-Qaeda not targeting their economic pillars?

Bin Laden: I have already said that we are not hostile to the United States. We are against the [US Government] system, which makes other nations slaves of the United States, or forces them to mortgage their political and economic freedom. This system is totally under the control of American-Jews, whose first priority is Israel, not the United States. It is clear that the American people are themselves the slaves of the Jews and are forced to live according to the principles and laws laid down by them. So, the punishment should reach Israel. In fact, it is Israel, which is giving a blood bath to innocent Muslims and the US is not uttering a single word.

Daily Ummat: Why is harm not caused to the enemies of Islam through other means, apart from the armed struggle? For instance, urging the Muslims to boycott Western products, banks, shipping lines and TV channels.

Bin Laden: The first thing is that Western products could only be boycotted when the Muslim fraternity is fully awakened and organized. Secondly, the Muslim companies should become self-sufficient in producing goods equal to the products of Western companies. Economic boycot of the West is not possible unless economic self-sufficiency is attained and substitute products are brought out. You see that wealth is scattered all across the Muslim World but not a single TV channel has been acquired which can preach Islamic injunctions according to modern requirements and attain an international influence. Muslim traders and philanthropists should make it a point that if the weapon of public opinion is to be used, it is to be kept in the hand. Today's world is of public opinion and the fates of nations are determined through its pressure. Once the tools for building public opinion are obtained, everything that you asked for can be done.

Daily Ummat: The entire propaganda about your struggle has so far been made by the Western media. But no information is being received from your sources about the network of Al-Qaeda and its jihad successes. Would you like to comment on this?

Bin Laden: In fact, the Western media is left with nothing else. It has no other theme to survive for a long time. Then we have many other things to do. The struggle for jihad and the successes are for the sake of Allah and not to annoy His bondsmen. Our silence is our real propaganda. Rejections, explanations, or corrigendum only waste your time and through them, the enemy wants you to engage in things which are not of use to you. These things are pulling you away from your cause. The Western media is unleashing such a baseless propaganda, which makes us surprise but it reflects on what is in their hearts and gradually they themselves become captive of this propaganda. They become afraid of it and begin to cause harm to themselves. Terror is the most dreaded weapon in the modern age and the Western media is mercilessly using it against its own people. It can add fear and helplessness in the psyche of the people of Europe and the United States. It means that what the enemies of the United States cannot do, its media is doing for them. You can understand what will be the performance in war of a nation that suffers from fear and helplessness.

Daily Ummat: What will be the impact of the freezing of Al-Qaeda's accounts by the US?

Bin Laden: God opens up ways for those who work for Him. Freezing accounts will not make any difference for Al-Qaeda or other jihad groups. With the grace of Allah, Al-Qaeda has more than three alternative financial systems, which are all separate and totally independent from each other. This system is operating under the patronage of those who love jihad. What can we say about the United States when not even the world combined can budge these people from their path? These people are not hundreds but thousands and millions. Al-Qaeda comprises modern educated youths who are as aware of the cracks inside the Western financial system as they are aware of the lines in the palms of their hands. These are the very flaws of the Western fiscal system, which are becoming a noose for it and this system could not recuperate despite the passage of so many days.

Daily Ummat: Are there any safe areas other than Afghanistan, where you can continue jihad?

Bin Laden: There are areas in all parts of the world where strong jihadi forces are present, from Indonesia to Algeria, from Kabul to Chechnya, from Bosnia to Sudan, and from Burma to Kashmir. Then it is not the problem of my person. I am a helpless fellowman of God, constantly in the fear of my accountability before God. It is not the question of Osama but of Islam and, in Islam too, of jihad. Thanks to God, those waging a jihad can walk today with their heads raised. Jihad existed when there was no Osama and it will continue to exist even when Osama is no longer here. Allah opens up ways and creates love in the hearts of people for those who walk on the path of Allah with their lives, property and children. Believe it, through jihad, a man gets everything he desires. And the biggest desire of a Muslim is the life after death. Martyrdom is the shortest way of attaining an eternal life.

Daily Ummat: What do you have to say about the Pakistani Government policy regarding the attack on Afghanistan?

Bin Laden: We are thankful to the Momin and valiant people of Pakistan who erected a blockade before the evil forces and stood in the first line of battle. Pakistan is a great hope for the Islamic brotherhood. Its people are awakened, organized and rich in the spirit of faith. They backed Afghanistan in its war against the Soviet Union and extended all its help to the Mojahedin and Afghan people. Then these are the very Pakistanis who are standing shoulder to shoulder with the Taliban. If such people emerged in just two countries, the domination of the West would diminish in a matter of days. Our hearts beat with Pakistan and, God forbid, if a difficult time comes we will protect it with our blood. Pakistan is as sacred for us as a place of worship. We are the people of jihad and fighting for the defense of Pakistan is the best of all jihads to us. It does not matter for us as to who reforms Pakistan. The important thing is that the spirit of jihad is alive and stronger in the hearts of the Pakistani people.

Note: This interview was published by JUST Response on November 26 2003. It first appeared on September 28 2001 in the Karachi-based The Daily Ummat, Pakistan's second largest Urdu morning newspaper, to whom we express our grateful acknowledgement. Explanations and additions in square brackets were added by the translator.

http://www.justresponse.net/Bin_Laden1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videos_of_Osama_bin_Laden#_note-6