Transcript of Osama bin Laden Video (Part 1)

— -- In mid-November, Osama Bin Laden spoke to a room of supporters, possibly in Kandahar, Afghanistan. These comments were video taped with the knowledge of Bin Laden and all present.

EDITOR'S NOTE: 39 minutes into tape, first segment of the bin Laden meeting, beginsafter 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 ofyour time. We praise Allah, we praise Allah. We came from Kabul. We were verypleased to visit. May Allah bless you both at home and the camp. We asked the driver totake us, it was a night with a full moon, thanks be to Allah. Believe me it is not in thecountry 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.

OBL: 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 goodsermon in his class after the sunset prayers. It was videotaped and I was supposed tocarry it with me, but unfortunately, I had to leave immediately.

OBL: The day of the events?

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) wasthe first one to write at war time. I visited him twice in Al-Qasim.

OBL: Thanks be to Allah.

Shaykh: This is what I asked from Allah. He (Bahrani) told the youth: "You are askingfor martyrdom and wonder where you should go (for martyrdom)?" Allah was incitingthem to go. I asked Allah to grant me to witness the truth in front of the unjust ruler. Weask Allah to protect him and give him the martyrdom, after he issued the first fatwa. Hewas detained for interrogation, as you know. When he was called in and asked to sign, hetold them, "don't waste my time, I have another fatwa. If you want me, I can sign both atthe same time."

OBL: Thanks be to Allah.

Shaykh: His position is really very encouraging. When I paid him the first visit about ayear and half ago, he asked me, "How is Shaykh Bin-Ladin?" He sends you his specialregards. As far as Shaykh Sulayman 'Ulwan is concerned, he gave a beautiful fatwa,may Allah bless him. Miraculously, I heard it on the Koran radio station. It was strangebecause he ('Ulwan) sacrificed his position, which is equivalent to a director. It wastranscribed word-by-word. The brothers listened to it in detail. I briefly heard it beforethe noon prayers. He ('Ulwan) said this was jihad and those people were not innocentpeople (World Trade Center and Pentagon victims). He swore to Allah. This wastransmitted to Shaykh Sulayman Al (('Umar)) Allah bless him.