Daily Mail : Bin Laden taunts West on eve of September 11 anniversary

Bin Laden taunts West on eve of September 11 anniversary

September 8, 2006

Osama bin Laden has returned to taunt the West - just four days before the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, suicide hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera broadcast a previously unshown video in which the terror mastermind is seen meeting and warmly greeting a group of the terrorists responsible for the attacks on New York and Washington.

US intelligence analysts said it was believed to be the first time that any video had been made available of bin Laden in the company of these terrorists in the lead up to the attacks.

The analysts said that an initial investigation suggested that the video was genuine and that it was made in Afghanistan early in 2001.

"It is bizarre and chilling that Al Qaeda should wait all of this time, until the eve of a major anniversary, to release this tape and it goes to prove that they are highly skilled at propaganda and manipulating the media," said Dr Vivian Brown, a terrorism expert and consultant to the US State Department.

She added: "They have made the video available at a time when they are sure to get maximum publicity."

Al-Jazeera is refusing to reveal how it got the video but US sources say that in the past Al Qaeda operatives have passed tapes from bin Laden to the channel's offices in Pakistan.

The video shows bin Laden sitting with his former lieutenant Mohammed Atef and with Ramzi Binalshibh - both major planners of the September 11 tragedy.

Atef, also known as Abu Hafs al-Masri, was killed by a US air strike in Afghanistan in 2001.

Binalshibh was captured four years ago in Pakistan and is in US custody.

Two weeks ago he was transferred from a secret CIA prison believed to be in Afghanistan and is now at the heavily guarded US military base at Guantanamo Bay awaiting trial for his life on terrorism accusations.

Bin Laden is wearing a dark robe in the video and white headgear as he walks around a mountainous area believed to be his one time hideout of Tora Bora in Afghanistan.

He is smiling and appears delighted as he greets a number of men who are identified on the video as September 11 hijackers.

CIA sources said last night that it appeared as though the tape was made at a special meeting to authorise the strike.

Al Jazeera said it showed Al Qaeda leaders 'preparing for the attacks and practicing their execution.'

Despite the biggest manhunt in history, bin Laden and his top advisers remain free.

They are believed to be hiding in caves and remote houses in a mountainous area of Pakistan that borders with Afghanistan.

A recent poll showed that most Americans believe bin Laden will never be caught or killed by US forces.

The video also shows Bin Laden in one scene greeting a fighter against the backdrop of a mountain.

It also contains "suicide" videos of two of the 9/11 attackers -- Hamza al-Ghamdi who was on United Airlines Flight 175 which crashed into the World Trade Centre and Wail al-Shehri who was on American Airlines Flight 11 which also hit the World trade Centre.

Al-Jazeera also showed a tape said to be of the new al-Qaeda leader in Iraq urging Iraqis to join with insurgents.

The speaker on the tape, identified as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, says he is confident victory will be achieved.

Mujahir is said to have taken over al-Qaeda in Iraq after the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June.

The station did not say how it obtained the videos.

On his tape, the alleged al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Mujahir, says: "I do not doubt for an instant victory."

He tells US forces not to be "proud of the number and the equipment", adding: "The war has just begun." ends

In their suicide videos the two hijackers spoke of their sympathy for Muslims in Bosnia and Chechnya.

Al Jazeera sources said that the full tape in their possesion lasts for an hour and a half although they have decided to show only a few minutes of it.

The footage featured hand-to-hand combat practice between terrorists who wore masks over their heads.