By ANNA SCHECTER
Sept. 25, 2009
A new Osama bin Laden tape was released today by as Sahab, al Qaeda's production company, addressing Europe with a conciliatory tone but a clear message to get out of Afghanistan or expect retaliation.
An image made from video with an audio-message, provided by IntelCenter on Friday, Sept 25. 2009,...
An image made from video with an audio-message, provided by IntelCenter on Friday, Sept 25. 2009, al-Qaeda's as-Sahab released a 4'47" video featuring an audio statement from Osama bin Laden entitled, "A Message from Sheikh Osama bin Laden to the People of Europe". Osama bin Laden demanded that European countries pull their troops out of Afganistan in a new audiotape Friday, warning of "retaliation" against them for their alliance with the United States in the war. The message is in Arabic and was released in both an English and German subtitled version. On-screen text reads, ?Say to those who disbelieve: if they desist, that which has passed will be forgiven them; but if they return [to their misdeeds], then the example of previous peoples has already passed before them.
(IntelCenter/AP Photo)
"Justice demands that you lift your oppression and withdraw your troops, and reason demands that you don't hurt your neighbors," the alleged voice of bin Laden says on the tape.
Bin Laden sends a warning of retaliation against Europe for the violence being committed by the international coalition forces in Afghanistan: "If today Europe is suffering the travails of the economic crisis…then how do you think you will fare after America pulls out, Allah permitting, for us to retaliate from the oppressor on behalf of the oppressed?"
Ben Venske of the Washington-based terrorism watchdog group IntelCenter said the tape contains language considered "a valid indicator of an upcoming attack."
Bin Laden chastises America for its military presence in Afghanistan and accuses US troops of intentional bombing civilians: "An intelligent man doesn't waste his money and sons for a gang of criminals in Washington and it is a shameful thing for a person to be in a coalition whose supreme commander has no regard for human life and who intentionally bombs villagers from the air."
Bin Laden also says he witnessed the bombing of civilians and the empty sympathy that America shows when troops realize they have killed civilian children: "Then the Humvees come along, and when it becomes clear to them that those killed were children American generosity gushes forth in all its abundance and they give the victims' relatives $100 for every child killed."
Experts say that al Qaeda is becoming increasingly savvy with regards to public relations, and in this tape is appealing to the humanistic side of Europe: "Bin Laden is saying 'We're really the humane people here, and here are the reasons why,'" said Brad Garrett, former FBI who dealt with terrorism-related cased for years.
"They watch the news and they have PR people and they have strategy meetings for how to promote their product and it is a product—and they get people to give them money. The biggest mistake is to write them off – just because they're fanatic doesn't mean they're dumb," said Garrett.
