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Audiotaped bin Laden Message to the U.S. Surfaces

Aired October 07, 2002 - 14:28   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Al-Jazeera television is airing an audiotape it said once was made by Osama bin Laden.
The speaker attempts to explain the September 11 attacks. But is it a message from bin Laden?

Martin Savidge joins us now live from video phone. He's in Qatar -- Martin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: U.S.-led attacks rained down on Afghanistan one year ago, the beginning of the effort to capture or kill Osama bin laden.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

...from Osama bin Laden about 24 hours ago at this particular point. One of the things that we should point out -- this network is known because it broadcasts news in Arabic throughout the region. It's become very popular in recent years. It's also been a conduit for Osama bin Laden, and they think this tape is from him.

I want to bring in CNN's Octavia Nasser. She is not only a correspondent but an expert in this region. We talked about this audiotape. We both agree there's no way to know at first glance really if it is Osama bin Laden.

But, say that it is. What strikes you, especially having heard it in Arabic, that is new and different about the way this message is brought in.

OCTAVIA NASSER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What strikes about this tape now, as you said, we don't know if this is indeed Osama bin Laden. We don't know when this tape was recorded. But we do know it's coming from al Qaeda terrorist network and we know it's a direct message to the American people.

First of all, they're telling them they are disappointed with the silence against the U.S. foreign policy in Islamic countries, and it is a threat, a direct threat, that unless something changes about that silence that there will be more terror.

And I think that is very interesting because the message was simple and clear. The message was only two minutes long. It starts out with a direct call. It's saying this is a message to the American people, signed off by Osama bin Laden at the end. Again, we don't know if it is indeed bin Laden, but we know that it is coming from al Qaeda.

SAVIDGE: And also we don't know, quickly, when this tape was made, do we? There's no indication.

NASSER: No indication whatsoever. The message is a bit vague. Some people here in the Middle East believe that there is an indication they are trying to hint at the U.S. planning to attack Iraq. This is speculation. These are observers saying that this is what we believe.

Again, this tape could have been made months ago, weeks ago. There is no proof of life there. I don't think anyone is going to be able to pin it down and say, This is when it was recorded.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much, Octavia Nasser.

Kyra, we should point out that people here at al-Jazeera believe that that voice is, in fact, Osama bin Laden and they believe the tape was made very recently, perhaps within the last two to three weeks -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Murray, there's been a lot of criticism about al- Jazeera and his coverage. Critics have said that it's been very biased. How are they responding, folks there in the newsroom, to that type of criticism and what's it like for you to spend time there on a regular basis?

SAVIDGE: Well, it's a very interesting place. You're right, Al- Jazeera has been criticized in the past, especially when there have been lengthy messages coming from Osama bin Laden. Sometimes those messages have been edited and people have criticized them, saying, Well, you're cutting things out.

Others, when they run the entire message, they are criticized for apparently being a mouth piece of Osama bin Laden. So, as a fellow journalist, you know what it's like to get it from both sides. They are no different here. They are professionals working at their job. But they are headquartered here in Qatar -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well put. Meanwhile, this is an area also very well known for being much more pro-Democratic than other countries in that area, a very important staging point for U.S. troops. What's the latest?

SAVIDGE: Well, it is a very important staging point. Not only is it headquarters to al-Jazeera here in Qatar, it's also headquarters growing, more and more so, to U.S. military forces. Aladay Air Base is located about 20 miles to the south from where we are here, and it is a massive airstrip, about 15,000 feet. That's nearly three miles long, capable of handling just about any sort of aircraft.

There has been a military presence there from a part of the United States since 1998, but after September 11, if you'll excuse the pun, it really took off.

Right now, they're involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, they're about 2,000 troops that are there handling aircraft. And it's anticipated it will start making the shift towards the possible or possible conflict with Iraq.

And here's what's important -- what makes it strategic. Not just the length of the runway, but the reported agreement between the Amir of Qatar and the United States here is that there is no restrictions. In other words, the U.S. can use that base for however it deems it needs to use it, unlike, say, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that have said there must be some sort of U.N. mandate for military action. It doesn't exist here, and that would be a great strategic value if the U.S. decides to go alone.

I should point out, that the Qatari has gone on record, been quite plain, that they are opposed in every way to war with Iraq and they hope that it will be avoided -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Martin Savidge live inside the newsroom of al- Jazeera television in Qatar. Thank you so 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






Aired October 7, 2002 - 14:28   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Al-Jazeera television is airing an audiotape it said once was made by Osama bin Laden.
The speaker attempts to explain the September 11 attacks. But is it a message from bin Laden?

Martin Savidge joins us now live from video phone. He's in Qatar -- Martin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: U.S.-led attacks rained down on Afghanistan one year ago, the beginning of the effort to capture or kill Osama bin laden.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

...from Osama bin Laden about 24 hours ago at this particular point. One of the things that we should point out -- this network is known because it broadcasts news in Arabic throughout the region. It's become very popular in recent years. It's also been a conduit for Osama bin Laden, and they think this tape is from him.

I want to bring in CNN's Octavia Nasser. She is not only a correspondent but an expert in this region. We talked about this audiotape. We both agree there's no way to know at first glance really if it is Osama bin Laden.

But, say that it is. What strikes you, especially having heard it in Arabic, that is new and different about the way this message is brought in.

OCTAVIA NASSER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What strikes about this tape now, as you said, we don't know if this is indeed Osama bin Laden. We don't know when this tape was recorded. But we do know it's coming from al Qaeda terrorist network and we know it's a direct message to the American people.

First of all, they're telling them they are disappointed with the silence against the U.S. foreign policy in Islamic countries, and it is a threat, a direct threat, that unless something changes about that silence that there will be more terror.

And I think that is very interesting because the message was simple and clear. The message was only two minutes long. It starts out with a direct call. It's saying this is a message to the American people, signed off by Osama bin Laden at the end. Again, we don't know if it is indeed bin Laden, but we know that it is coming from al Qaeda.

SAVIDGE: And also we don't know, quickly, when this tape was made, do we? There's no indication.

NASSER: No indication whatsoever. The message is a bit vague. Some people here in the Middle East believe that there is an indication they are trying to hint at the U.S. planning to attack Iraq. This is speculation. These are observers saying that this is what we believe.

Again, this tape could have been made months ago, weeks ago. There is no proof of life there. I don't think anyone is going to be able to pin it down and say, This is when it was recorded.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much, Octavia Nasser.

Kyra, we should point out that people here at al-Jazeera believe that that voice is, in fact, Osama bin Laden and they believe the tape was made very recently, perhaps within the last two to three weeks -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Murray, there's been a lot of criticism about al- Jazeera and his coverage. Critics have said that it's been very biased. How are they responding, folks there in the newsroom, to that type of criticism and what's it like for you to spend time there on a regular basis?

SAVIDGE: Well, it's a very interesting place. You're right, Al- Jazeera has been criticized in the past, especially when there have been lengthy messages coming from Osama bin Laden. Sometimes those messages have been edited and people have criticized them, saying, Well, you're cutting things out.

Others, when they run the entire message, they are criticized for apparently being a mouth piece of Osama bin Laden. So, as a fellow journalist, you know what it's like to get it from both sides. They are no different here. They are professionals working at their job. But they are headquartered here in Qatar -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well put. Meanwhile, this is an area also very well known for being much more pro-Democratic than other countries in that area, a very important staging point for U.S. troops. What's the latest?

SAVIDGE: Well, it is a very important staging point. Not only is it headquarters to al-Jazeera here in Qatar, it's also headquarters growing, more and more so, to U.S. military forces. Aladay Air Base is located about 20 miles to the south from where we are here, and it is a massive airstrip, about 15,000 feet. That's nearly three miles long, capable of handling just about any sort of aircraft.

There has been a military presence there from a part of the United States since 1998, but after September 11, if you'll excuse the pun, it really took off.

Right now, they're involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, they're about 2,000 troops that are there handling aircraft. And it's anticipated it will start making the shift towards the possible or possible conflict with Iraq.

And here's what's important -- what makes it strategic. Not just the length of the runway, but the reported agreement between the Amir of Qatar and the United States here is that there is no restrictions. In other words, the U.S. can use that base for however it deems it needs to use it, unlike, say, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that have said there must be some sort of U.N. mandate for military action. It doesn't exist here, and that would be a great strategic value if the U.S. decides to go alone.

I should point out, that the Qatari has gone on record, been quite plain, that they are opposed in every way to war with Iraq and they hope that it will be avoided -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Martin Savidge live inside the newsroom of al- Jazeera television in Qatar. Thank you so 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