WASHINGTON (CNN) – After initially denying the existence of such a message, the Arab network Al-Jazeera said Tuesday it would air an audio message purportedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, calling on Muslims to “unite in defending the Iraqi people.”
Word of the tape first surfaced earlier in the day when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate panel a new message had surfaced believed to be bin Laden claiming he is “in partnership with Iraq.”
“(Bin Laden) speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq,” Powell said during the hearing.
Al Qaeda initially dismissed Powell’s claim as a rumor, but Powell had assured senators they would be hearing bin Laden’s message “during the course of the day” on Al-Jazeera.
The tape urges Muslims not to cooperate with the United States against Iraq, criticizing Arab governments who support the U.S. in its efforts to rid Iraq of its alleged weapons of mass destruction.
“Anyone who helps America, from the Iraqi hypocrites (opposition) or Arab rulers … whoever fights with them or offers them bases or administrative assistance, or any kind of support or help, even if only with words, to kill Muslims in Iraq, should know that he is an apostate.”
**The speaker also calls on true Muslims to “incite and mobilize the nation … to break free from the slavery of these regimes who are slaves of America.”
He singles out Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. **
Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Colin Powell told senators that he had read a transcript of the statement and that it shows why the world needs to be concerned about Iraqi ties to terrorism.
**“Once again he speaks to the people of Iraq. This nexus between terrorists and states can no longer be looked away from and ignored,” Powell said, quoting “bin Laden or who we believe to be bin Laden.” **
set aside the validity of the tape .. I am amazed at the stupidity and ignorance of some media casters on linking obl with iraq ... my enemy's enemy is my friend .. oh yeah .. great! that links us together! wow! rock on!
this was expected after powell’s address to U.N
first he tells the world abt links between iraQ and OBL & then a tape emerges confirming his greatest fears that OBL is getting support from iraQ … this is that they call as “fabrications” and “web of lies” and a load of BS … only United States of Morans can come up with such stupid things :–)
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*Originally posted by Seminole: *
Actually this fabrication, web of lies and BS comes from the beloved voice of the Arab world, Al-Jazeera - not the US.
p.s. what is Moran?
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where is the demand of this BS coming from? America, not the Arab world.
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*Originally posted by hskhan: *
where is the demand of this BS coming from? America, not the Arab world.
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What's that got to do with the price of tea in China? The report is coming from Al-Jazeera, not America. It's just convenient, habitual and hypocritical to blame everything on the US, even when it comes from the Holy Grail of Muslim television.
Seminole, Al-jazeera runs what it receives.. without going into the details of who owns Al-Jazeera and the Arab's suspicions about it's Israeli ties, the subject of discussion is the tape.. which in these times of technological prowess, proves little and casts doubts often.
by the way.. does the US now admit that Bin Laden IS (not maybe) alive and they have failed in getting him "dead or alive"?
It's absurd to think that the US is putting out these tapes.
If they were going to be making up propaganda, they would come up with something more incriminating than the crap Al-Jazeera is putting out.
Conspiracy theories dominate Arab and South Asian culture like nowhere else in the world.
It seem Powell (like Rumsfield) and other Administration officials is now clutching at the straws to create a link between OBL and Iraq, to somehow justify their proposed actions. This particular attempt is rather totally shallow. I am amazed at the idiocacy and inadequacy of American intelligence.
this is that they call as “fabrications” and “web of lies” and a load of BS … only United States of Morans can come up with such stupid things :–)
