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CNN Live Today

Bin Laden Rallies Followers in Videos

Aired August 20, 2002 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour with more from that remarkable library of al Qaeda videocassettes obtained exclusively by CNN. Today's focus: "Roots of Hatred," Osama bin Laden's semi-public call for attacks on Jews and Westerners in the spring of '98.
Analysts call it a key moment in the history of modern terrorism, and CNN's Mike Boettcher reveals it to the Western world for the first time right here.

Mike -- what did you make of these tapes?

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, it was a key event, and most of the Western world missed it, because it got very little publicity. It could be because only Pakistani and one Chinese journalist were invited to attend that occasion. And there was no video, except for snapshots allowed to be taken of the three principals at that meeting, which were Osama bin Laden, Mohammed Atef, his military commander, and Ayman al-Zawahiri, his right-hand man and adviser.

So it was very interesting to see bin Laden in a very candid situation, him believing that this was videotape that would not be seen by the rest of the world. You get a glimpse of his rather large security detail, as they accompany him from the Toyota Land Cruisers. They walk up the hill. They meet with the reporters.

And it's very interesting because of those around him. There are some key figures in there, key figures that members of the coalition want to try to identify -- Carol.

LIN: Mike, I know videotape has been released since this 1998 videotape of Osama bin Laden, but there, you see a very robust man, someone who really wants to be seen and postured as a leader.

What do you know right now about the status of Osama bin Laden's health, you know, if, in fact, he is still alive?

BOETTCHER: Well, first off, in some sections of the tape, he looks very robust. But for the first time on videotape, we see Osama bin Laden frightened. When he is leaving this press conference and a rocket-propelled grenade is fired, he flinches and goes back. So robust, but at the same time, frightened. That's why it's candid.

In terms of his health, there are numerous reports, and we reported first several months ago, that Osama bin Laden's left arm was injured, his left hand and his left shoulder, and that this has affected his health. There had been a press conference subsequent to that injury, which we are told occurred at Tora Bora, and you can see him favoring his left side.

We are trying to get more information on how that has affected his health, and that is a very tough one, because it's hard to measure his health when you can't even find him -- Carol.

LIN: Exactly. We've got another piece of videotape here that shows part of his collection of Land Cruisers. I understand that Osama bin Laden has -- what -- some 50 Land Cruisers that he has collected. What is his fascination with this vehicle?

BOETTCHER: Well, Carol, in my travels around with the tapes, talking to al Qaeda experts and coalition terrorism analysts, they brought up an interesting fact. One told me, you know, look at the Toyota Land Cruisers. He goes, Osama loves his Land Cruisers better than he loves his wives.

He bought 50 of them about three years ago from the United Arab Emirates. They were shipped to Afghanistan. He gave some of them as a gift to the Taliban, but kept the rest. He used to travel in them. The rehearsals for terror training, which you will see in the coming days in these tapes, they used Toyota Land Cruisers, and it was his favorite vehicle, just a little anecdote there, kind of a glimpse into the life of bin Laden and al Qaeda.

LIN: Yes. What do you think Osama bin Laden's reaction would be to know that these tapes have been released to the public, that they are now being seen around the world?

BOETTCHER: Well, I would say he is probably not happy. I can only make that assumption.

But judging by some of the comments on the videotapes, especially the tape you saw yesterday with the testing of some sort of chemical agent on dogs, there is audio of one of the testers on there saying, this must remain below the surface of the earth. They did not want this to be seen. He did not want, I am sure, judging by the preproduced packages you have seen in the past where he held press conferences or makes statements, I am sure he didn't want it to be seen him flinching when an RPG is fired nearby.

So I would say he is not very happy.

LIN: Interesting. All right, thank you very much, Mike Boettcher.

BOETTCHER: You're welcome.

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