Videos of bin Laden

There have been several video's released of Osama bin Laden, mostly as prepared tapes released by Al-Qaida to media organisations such as Al-Jazeera. These tapes have been accused of being propaganda by his opponents. There has been debate in some countries about the propaganda value of releasing various tapes to the news media, due to concerns about incitement as well as the alleged possibility of hidden messages. Some countries broadcast the tapes in full, but others have not. The policy of the United States government has been, on the one hand, to urge the news media inside the US and elsewhere not to air any bin Laden tapes that it believes would serve bin Laden's propaganda purposes. On the other hand, it has broadcast, and urged that the media broadcast, a tape of bin Laden that supports its own claims concerning bin Laden. The US has thus taken the position that bin Laden tapes should be broadcast only if they support the US government's own aims and purposes. The US news media, ostensibly independent and free of government control and censorship, has nevertheless largely complied with the request of its government in this matter

I'm sure someone can fill in the other tapes.

Tapes released by the US Government 13th December 2001

The US State department released some "home" video tapes on December 13th 2001. The State department claim the tapes are authentic and were found in Afghanistan. They show Osama bin Laden and implicate him in the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack. In the tape Osama bin Laden displays in-depth knowledge of the attack, although only knowing of the actual attack a few days in advance.

Some critics of the United States have alleged that this tape was released only because it is supportive of their claims that bin Laden was involved in the attacks.

On the other hand, if this tape was actually found in Afghanistan, as the U.S. claims, and bin Laden never intended it to be shown publicly, U.S. concerns about hidden messages would not apply. Many people, including the U.S. press, continue to be skeptical of the government's rationale for not releasing other tapes, but few have questioned this tape's authenticity.

The tape is supposed to be filmed in mid-November, possibly in a guest house in Qandahar?.

Following are some quotes translated for the US government.

Osama Bin Laden:

We calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy, who would be killed based on the position of the tower.

We calculated that the floors that would be hit would be three or four floors. I was the most optimistic of them all.

...Due to my experience in this field, I was thinking that the fire from the gas in the plane would melt the iron structure of the building and collapse the area where the plane hit and all the floors above it only. This is all that we had hoped for.

Unidentified Sheikh:

Allah be praised.

Osama Bin Laden:

...We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event would take place that day. We had finished our work that day and had the radio on. It was 5:30 p.m. our time. ... Immediately, we heard the news that a plane had hit the World Trade Center ...

Sheikh:

Allah be praised.

The brothers, who conducted the operation, all they knew was that they have a martyrdom operation and we asked each of them to go to America but they didn't know anything about the operation

Osama Bin Laden:

After a little while, they announced that another plane had hit the World Trade Center. The brothers who heard the news were overjoyed by it.

...Muhammad (Atta) from the Egyptian family (meaning the Al-Qaida Egyptian group) was in charge of the group.

Sheikh:

A plane crashing into a tall building was out of anyone's imagination. This was a great job. He was one of the pious men in the organisation. He became a martyr. Allah bless his soul. (...)

Osama Bin Laden:

The brothers, who conducted the operation, all they knew was that they have a martyrdom operation and we asked each of them to go to America but they didn't know anything about the operation, not even one letter.

But they were trained and we did not reveal the operation to them until they are there and just before they boarded the planes.

/Talk

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Linkage

• BBC Transcipts and new items [1]
• Official US Government Transcript of the tape [2]