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CNN Live Saturday

U.S. Condemns bin Laden's Latest Comments

Aired November 03, 2001 - 07:04   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Osama bin Laden lashes out at the United States and the United Nations in a videotape broadcast today by the Arab-language television channel Al Jazeera. And on this 20- minute tape, bin Laden does not deny that his organization was responsible for the September 11 attacks in the United States. Instead, he says that true Muslims celebrated those attacks.

Bin Laden condemns the U.S.-led bombing campaign, and claims that it is targeting innocent Afghan civilians. He calls the United Nations an instrument of crime against Muslims, and says that Muslim leaders who work with the U.N. are, quote, "hypocrites." Bin Laden goes on to say that Arab leaders who remain in the U.N. have broken faith with Mohammed and the Koran.

The U.N. General Assembly convenes next week, and some Arab leaders are expected to attend; but it's unclear if bin Laden is actually referring to that particular meeting.

Al Jazeera says it doesn't know when or where bin Laden recorded the tape, but bin Laden's reference to the bombing in Afghanistan does seem to suggest that this tape was recorded after the bombing campaign began on October 7.

Senior U.S. government officials are saying that Osama bin Laden may have irreparably damaged himself with that statement. For more of the reaction and on President Bush's radio address dealing with the anthrax threat today, let's turn to CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace, who checks in from Hagerstown, Maryland.

Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Leon. Well Leon, you know in the past the Bush Administration has chosen not to respond to any videotaped statements from the al Qaeda network.

But the United States definitely changing its strategy, because almost immediately after the Al Jazeera Network broadcast in full Osama bin Laden's statement, the U.S. was on the same airwaves with somewhat of a response.

It was done by a retired American diplomat, former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Chris Ross, who has been recruited by the Bush administration to help in its campaign against terrorism. You see Ambassador Ross there. In his statement, the ambassador said that this is not a campaign against Islam, not a campaign against Muslims, but a campaign against terrorists and those who harbor them.

Now, senior U.S. government officials were also very quick to respond. They said bin Laden's condemnation of Arab countries which belong to the United Nations was, quote, "an act of desperation." They went on to say, quote: "By launching this attack against the other Arab nations, he's alienating millions of moderate Muslims." You see that statement there.

So a new strategy here; the administration trying to respond quickly to counter any statements coming from bin Laden and the Taliban, after many analysts believe that the administration has fallen behind the Taliban and Osama bin Laden in the so-called propaganda war.

Now as for President Bush, we are told he dismissed bin Laden's statement, saying it's another example of how isolated he is from the entire world.

Mr. Bush met with his National Security Council earlier this morning, sharing another meeting via videoconference. Some of his advisers with him at the presidential retreat, others joining him from Washington.

And then he devoted his entire weekly radio address for the first time to anthrax. The president trying to calm and reassure Americans. He also defended the administration's handling of the threat.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As all Americans know, recent weeks have brought a second wave of terrorist attacks upon our country; deadly anthrax spores sent through the U.S. mail. There's no precedent for this type of biological attack, and I'm proud of the way our law enforcement officers, our health care and postal workers, and the American people are responding in the face of this new threat.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, in that address, Mr. Bush also saying that the administration learning new information each and every day. But he also said right now the U.S. does not know who is responsible for producing this anthrax and sending these letters laced with anthrax. He still says it could be someone connected to the September 11 attacks, or it could be some domestic extremist group.

So still no answers. Mr. Bush appealing to the American public, just like the FBI Director Robert Mueller did yesterday, to call law enforcement officials if they have any information that can help crack these cases.

Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: All right, thanks Kelly Wallace. No answers, and no shortage of questions there. Kelly Wallace in Hagerstown, Maryland, thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com