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American Morning

Target: Terrorism - New Bin Laden Video Shows Top Associates

Aired October 05, 2001 - 11:37   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is an Arab news station called Al Jazeera and it's released newly released images of Osama bin Laden. You saw it first here yesterday afternoon on CNN. That video believed to be the most recent footage of the suspected terrorist and the top men in his terrorist network.

CNN's Mike Boettcher examining that video tape for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This video of Osama bin Laden was sent to the Kabul office of Al Jazeera, an Arabic language television station based in Qatar. Al Jazerra has interviewed bin Laden in the past, and recently got a fax which it believes was signed by him, denying responsibility for the September 11th attacks.

The tape shows bin Laden in front of a group of fighters. At his side, his number two, Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri. Al Zawahiri, like bin Laden, has been mentioned by the Bush administration as likely being behind the attacks on New York and Washington. Al Zawahiri is head of Egypt's Islamic Jihad group which the U.S. government says, is for all intents and purposes, part of Al Qaeda.

Harder to see in the picture, but also at bin Laden's side, Mohamed Atiff. He's the man believed to be Al Qaeda's military commander.

PROFESSOR MAGNUS RANSTORP, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: I believe Mohamed Atiff plays a critical role, perhaps even being the number three or four person. He was previously a policeman in Cairo before he transferred over to the Afghan conflict and became involved in the Al Qaeda structure.

BOETTCHER: Atiff is now related, by marriage, to bin Laden. It's not clear when this tape was actually shot -- whether it was actually done after or before the September 11th attacks. In the past it has been bin Laden's practice to show himself before a big event, points out Magnus Ranstorp.

RANSTORP: He has a special style. That style is not to claim credit after the fact, but to put the west on notice that he's about to do an operation. BOETTCHER: For example, this photograph showing the same three men, bin Laden, al Zawahiri and Atiff, was taken in 1998, months before the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. All three men have already been indicted in that case. Now, bin Laden and his top lieutenants have shown themselves again, sending another symbolic message to the west. Mike Boettcher, CNN, Atlanta.

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