New AQ Video Shows 'Growing Production Savvy,' According to DHS Chief
AQ leaders try to inspire and unite "disparate" followers into a virtual army.
Jan. 30, 2008— -- A U.S. government analysis of the 46-minute video released Sunday by as Sahab -- al Qaeda's multimedia center -- is a sophisticated example of the terrorist leaders' efforts to meld "disparate" global followers into a virtual army, one with an often inspirational rather than operational command structure.
The tersely written Department of Homeland Security-FBI report released Tuesday, Jan. 29, quotes highy respected DHS Chief Intelligence Officer Charlie Allen as saying, "This video...is another attempt by al-Qa'ida leadership to inspire and unite disparate al-Qa'ida affiliates and sympathizers; it also underscores al-Qa'ida's growing production savvy."
The video, "Winds of Paradise: Part 2," is a sequel to a film glorifying martyrdom released last July.
"The new video is a sophisticated documentary-style portrayal of ten militants of various nationalities containing footage of their training, operations in which they were apparently involved, and their last will and testaments in which they express support of violent jihad," the non-classified report states.
It was prepared by DHS Intelligence Watch and Warning Division and the FBI Counterterrorism Division
The terror docudrama is introduced by al Qaeda in Afghanistan leader Mustafa Abu al Yazid, also known as Shaykh Sa'id al Masri who praises the millitants.
Abu al Yazid reportedly organized financing for the 9/11 attacks, the DHS report states.
Terror cleric Abu Yahya al Libi ends the video with general words glorifying martyrdom.
Al Libi in the report is described as he often is, as "a deputy spokesman for al-Qa'ida" since his escape from the U.S. and its allies in 2005.
DHS states that "the video and its contents pose no specific threat to the Homeland. DHS and the FBI have no intelligence at this time of any imminent threats to the Homeland."