www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/11/11/wbin11.xml
In the footage, shot in the Afghan mountains at the end of October, a smiling bin Laden goes on to say that the World Trade Centre's twin towers were a "legitimate target" and the pilots who hijacked the planes were "blessed by Allah". The killing of at least 4,537 people was justified, he claims, because they were "not civilians" but were working for the American system. Bin Laden also makes a direct personal threat against Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, for the first time, and warns nations such as Australia, Germany and Japan to stay out of the conflict. The video will form the centrepiece of Britain and America's new evidence against bin Laden, to be released this Wednesday. The footage, to which the Telegraph obtained access in the Middle East yesterday, was not made for public release via the al-Jazeera television network 22 used by bin Laden for propaganda purposes in the past. It is believed to be intended as a rallying call to al-Qa'eda members. In the video, bin Laden says: "The Twin Towers were legitimate targets, they were supporting US economic power. He freely admits to being behind the attacks: "If avenging the killing of our people is terrorism then history should be a witness that we are terrorists. He says: "The towers were supposed to be filled with supporters of the economical powers of the United States who are abusing the world. Those who talk about civilians should change their stand and reconsider their position. In the video, he also claims responsibility for an unspecified terrorist outrage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which he claims was sparked by secret messages in one of his videos. He admits for the first time using public pronouncements on video to whip up terrorism - a danger about which the 23 British and American governments have warned broadcasters. It is significant that throughout the video he uses the personal pronouns "I" and "we" to claim responsibility for the attacks. In the past, he has spoken of the attackers only in the third person. Bin Laden has publicly issued four previous videos since September 11, always denying carrying out the atrocities. He now claims to have access to nuclear and chemical weapons. Bin Laden made the claims on Friday night during an interview with the English language Pakistani newspaper Dawn. He said: "If America used chemical or nuclear weapons against us, then we may retort with chemical and nuclear weapons. They said that although bin Laden could have access to nuclear material through links with Pakistan or former Soviet republics, he was unlikely to have the technology to cause an explosion. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We know that he was looking for that capability. The measure, which will require exemption from human rights legislation, will be used to round up about 20 suspects hiding in Britain beyond the reach of existing laws.
|
http://csua.com/feed/