http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/ 0,1361,565069,00.html

Text: Bin Laden's statement

Sunday October 7, 2001

The nations of infidels have all united against Muslims. You American people - can you ask yourselves why [there is] all this hate against America and Israel?

The answer is clear and very simple, that America has committed so many crimes against the nations of Muslims.

America is the head of criminals by creating Israel - this continuous crime for 50 years.

The government which is besieging the people of Iraq and killing them.

Why [is] your government... supporting the rotten governments of our countries ?

What happened in the United States is a natural reaction to the ignorant policy of the United States.

If it continues with this policy, the sons of Islam will not stop their struggle. The American people have to know that what is happening to them now is the result of their support of this policy.

The war against Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden is a war on Islam.

This is a new battle, a great battle, similar to the great battles of Islam, like the conquest of Jerusalem.

I believe that there is only one God and there is no prophet but Mohammed.

America was hit by God in one of its softest spots. America is full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that.

This is something, very little, of what we have tasted for decades. Since nearly 80 years we have been tasting this humility.

They [Americans] support the murder against the victims so God has given back to them what they deserve.

I say that the matter is very clear. That every Muslim after this and after what the officials in America stated, with the head of the infidels, Bush, they come out with their men and equipment and they even encourage countries calling themselves Muslims against us.

They come out to fight Islam in the name of fighting terrorism.

These events have split the whole world into two camps: the camps of belief and These events have split the whole world into two camps: the camps of belief and the camps of disbelief.

Every Muslim should support his religion and now the wind of change has blown up to the Arabian peninsula.

I say by God the great, America will never dream, not those who live in America will never taste security and safety unless we feel security and safety in our lands and in Palestine.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia_china/story.jsp?story=98297

Bin Laden goes on television to denounce Americans as sinners

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington

08 October 2001

In an astonishing riposte to the United States and its coalition of allies, Osama bin Laden appeared in a taped television broadcast yesterday in which he said Americans were sinners who deserved the attacks of 11 September and that their country was gripped by fear.

Dressed in battle fatigues, an Afghan headdress and with an AK-47 assault rifle propped close by, Mr bin Laden condemned US policies in the Middle East and said the strikes against Afghanistan represented a "war on Islam".

Apparently composed and pointing a finger towards the camera to stress various points, he praised God for the attacks on New York and Washington, in which almost 6,000 people were killed.

"America was hit by God in one of its softest spots," Mr bin Laden said, speaking in Arabic and flanked by two aides. "America is full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that. Our nation has been tasting fear, hatred and injustices for years."

The video was broadcast on a Middle East satellite channel just hours after the military attacks on various sites across Afghanistan by the US and Britain, but it seems almost certain that it was taped before the strikes were launched.

Mr bin Laden said: "Millions of innocent children are being killed in Iraq and in Palestine and we don't hear a word from the infidels. We don't hear a raised voice. We hear no denunciation, we hear no edict from the hereditary rulers.

"When the sword falls on the United States, they cry for their children and they cry for their people. The least you can say about these people is that they are sinners. They have helped evil triumph over good." The broadcast on the Al-Jazeera network in Qatar was of a tape initially said to have been recorded by Mr bin Laden yesterday, though there was later some dispute about when he actually made the recording of his statement.

The recording appeared to have been made during daylight hours - suggesting it was taped before the United States and Britain launched their air strikes.

The video was filmed in what appeared to be rocky cave, but there was no indication of where specifically it had been recorded. Reports from the Taliban said that neither Mr bin Laden nor the Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, had been killed by the waves of cruise missile strikes.

In lines that strangely echoed the comments by the US President, George Bush, that nations had to decide whether they were "with us or with the terrorists", Mr bin Laden said the attacks on Afghanistan - which presumably he had anticipated - had split the world. "I say these events have split the whole world into two camps: the camp of the faithful and the camp of the infidels," he said. "Every Muslim should support his religion.

"To the United States, I say, I swear by God the Great that the United States will never taste security and safety until peace reigns in Palestine, and before all the army of infidels departs the land of Mohammed."

Ayman Zawahri, believed to be one of Mr bin Laden's most senior associates, also appeared in the video. The leader of Egypt's Islamic Jihad and a man jailed for his part in the 1981 assassination of the Egyptian President at the time, Anwar Sadat, urged Muslims to resist America.

The video, shown by the independent television network that has been carrying a series of exclusive broadcasts relating to Osama bin Laden, started with a statement read by one of his aides, Suleiman Abu Gheit.

"America has announced its total support for the Zionist entity that has killed and oppressed Muslims and Arabs and this is its stupid policy," he said.

"What happened in the United States is a natural reaction to the ignorant policy of the United States. It if continues with this policy, the sons of Islam will not stop their struggle. The American people have to know that what is happening to them now is the result of their support of this policy.

"The war against Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden is a war on Islam."

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/news/ story/0,2276,23896,00.html?

October 8, 2001

Osama: US will never be secure

US officials caution Americans at home and abroad to be vigilant

(CAIRO) Islamic militant Osama bin Laden has promised the United States that it 'will never more know security as long as Palestine does not know security', in a recorded video message broadcast last night by the al-Jazeera satellite television network.

War against Afghanistan and himself is 'war on Islam', Osama said in a statement read by an aide. Osama was shown dressed in fatigues and an Afghan headdress, sitting quietly next to his spokesman as the spokesman read the statement.

It was not clear when the video was made, but it referred to Sept 11 attacks, but not to last night's strikes by the US and Britain.

Both Osama and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar survived the US and British attacks on Afghanistan, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan said. 'By the grace of God, Mullah Omar and bin Laden are alive,' ambassador Abdul Salam Zaeef told reporters.

US officials meanwhile warned Americans at home and abroad that military strikes now underway in Afghanistan could lead to more terrorism by Islamist militants blamed for deadly suicide attacks last month.

As US and British forces struck at Osama bin Laden, his al-Qaeda network and the ruling Taliban militia which shelters him in Afghanistan, officials said Americans should remain vigilant.

'At my request, many governors have activated the National Guard to strengthen airport security. We have called up reserves to reinforce our military capability and strengthen the protection of our homeland,' President George W Bush said in his address announcing the start of military strikes.

The State Department issued a dire warning to US citizens following the strikes, telling them the strikes could spur terrorist retaliation against Americans and American interests abroad.

'This action may result in strong anti-American sentiment and retaliatory actions against US citizens and interests throughout the world by terrorists and those who are sympathetic to or otherwise support terrorism,' the State Department said in a statement. - AP, AFP, Dow Jones