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CNN Live At Daybreak
New Warning Possibly from Osama Bin laden
Aired November 13, 2002 - 05:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take you to a new warning from Osama bin Laden, at least from a voice that sounds like his.
Mike Boettcher tells us about this latest threat and where it comes from.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If there was any question whether Osama bin Laden was alive, the audiotape sent to Al Jazeera seemed to settle that, especially the reference to a recent string of attacks around the world.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The killings of Germans in Tunisia and French in Karachi and the bombing of the U.S. tanker in Yemen and the killing of the marines in Falaka (ph) and the killings of the British and Australians in Bali and the latest Moscow operation are just some of the attacks here and there, and they're only a reaction to how the Muslims have been treated in response to what god had ordered them.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOETTCHER: In the past, bin Laden has addressed his messages to his followers. This time the message was aimed at those he termed allies of "the oppressive U.S. government."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why are your governments allying themselves, allying themselves with America and attacking us in Afghanistan, especially to mention Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOETTCHER: In Europe, security forces were already on their highest state of alert since 9/11, after a recent threat against France and Germany from bin Laden's lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawhari. So why is bin Laden talking now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Usually in the past whenever bin Laden has surfaced making a statement, there has been a major attack against a U.S. or Western target. BOETTCHER: Coalition intelligence officials have been telling CNN for months they believe bin Laden is alive and hiding out along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. As for this latest message, U.S. intelligence officials are assessing the tape, comparing it to previous bin Laden statements before they're willing to say it's authentic.
Those who've listened to previous bin Laden tapes say it sounds like him, but with some changes.
HISHAM MELHEM, LEBANESE JOURNALIST: Yes, it sounds like him. But the voice is not as soft as previous tapes by Osama bin Laden and delivery is not as slow as previous delivery.
(AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
BOETTCHER: Osama bin Laden invoked Iraq, Palestine and Chechnya, all places, he said, where Muslims were being murdered. And he ended with a warning: "Just like you kill us, we will kill you."
Mike Boettcher, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Journalist Eric Margolis has written about terrorism. He has listened to that tape and last night CNN's Connie Chung asked him if he believes it is authentic.
And last night CNN's
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC MARGOLIS, JOURNALIST: It sounds like, pretty much like the voice of Osama bin Laden, but not a hundred percent. I would say that it is a 50 percent possibility this tape is authentic. I read the translation of his statement. Stylistically it does not sound or match bin Laden's usual prose style. It could, this tape could have been made by one of his subordinates or it could be a piece of disinformation, trying to link bin Laden to other groups. For example, the Russians have been very actively trying to link the Chechen independence fighters to bin Laden to discredit them.
So I think we have to approach this tape with a certain amount of caution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: And two hours from now, CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen will be along on AMERICAN MORNING with Paula Zahn. Peter once interviewed bin Laden. He'll discuss the audiotape that's currently being analyzed.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 13, 2002 - 05:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take you to a new warning from Osama bin Laden, at least from a voice that sounds like his.
Mike Boettcher tells us about this latest threat and where it comes from.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If there was any question whether Osama bin Laden was alive, the audiotape sent to Al Jazeera seemed to settle that, especially the reference to a recent string of attacks around the world.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The killings of Germans in Tunisia and French in Karachi and the bombing of the U.S. tanker in Yemen and the killing of the marines in Falaka (ph) and the killings of the British and Australians in Bali and the latest Moscow operation are just some of the attacks here and there, and they're only a reaction to how the Muslims have been treated in response to what god had ordered them.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOETTCHER: In the past, bin Laden has addressed his messages to his followers. This time the message was aimed at those he termed allies of "the oppressive U.S. government."
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why are your governments allying themselves, allying themselves with America and attacking us in Afghanistan, especially to mention Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOETTCHER: In Europe, security forces were already on their highest state of alert since 9/11, after a recent threat against France and Germany from bin Laden's lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawhari. So why is bin Laden talking now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Usually in the past whenever bin Laden has surfaced making a statement, there has been a major attack against a U.S. or Western target. BOETTCHER: Coalition intelligence officials have been telling CNN for months they believe bin Laden is alive and hiding out along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. As for this latest message, U.S. intelligence officials are assessing the tape, comparing it to previous bin Laden statements before they're willing to say it's authentic.
Those who've listened to previous bin Laden tapes say it sounds like him, but with some changes.
HISHAM MELHEM, LEBANESE JOURNALIST: Yes, it sounds like him. But the voice is not as soft as previous tapes by Osama bin Laden and delivery is not as slow as previous delivery.
(AUDIO CLIP, OSAMA BIN LADEN)
BOETTCHER: Osama bin Laden invoked Iraq, Palestine and Chechnya, all places, he said, where Muslims were being murdered. And he ended with a warning: "Just like you kill us, we will kill you."
Mike Boettcher, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Journalist Eric Margolis has written about terrorism. He has listened to that tape and last night CNN's Connie Chung asked him if he believes it is authentic.
And last night CNN's
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC MARGOLIS, JOURNALIST: It sounds like, pretty much like the voice of Osama bin Laden, but not a hundred percent. I would say that it is a 50 percent possibility this tape is authentic. I read the translation of his statement. Stylistically it does not sound or match bin Laden's usual prose style. It could, this tape could have been made by one of his subordinates or it could be a piece of disinformation, trying to link bin Laden to other groups. For example, the Russians have been very actively trying to link the Chechen independence fighters to bin Laden to discredit them.
So I think we have to approach this tape with a certain amount of caution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: And two hours from now, CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen will be along on AMERICAN MORNING with Paula Zahn. Peter once interviewed bin Laden. He'll discuss the audiotape that's currently being analyzed.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
