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http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Osama_Europe/2007/11/29/53222.html
Bin Laden to Europe: Ditch the U.S.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
CAIRO, Egypt -- Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden called on the Europeans to
stop helping the United States in the war in Afghanistan, according to
excerpts of a new audiotape broadcast Thursday on Al-Jazeera television.
Bin Laden said it was unjust for the United States to have invaded
Afghanistan for sheltering him after the 9/11 attacks, saying he was the
''only one responsible'' for the deadly assaults on New York and Washington.
''The events of Manhattan were retaliation against the American-Israeli
alliance's aggression against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, and I am
the only one responsible for it. The Afghan people and government knew
nothing about it. America knows that,'' he said.
The al-Qaida leader said European nations joined the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan ''because they had no other alternative, only to be a
follower.''
''The American tide is ebbing, with God's help, and they will go back to
their countries,'' he said, speaking of Europeans.
Bin Laden urged Europeans to pull away from the fight in Afghanistan.
''It is better for you to stand against your leaders who are dropping in on
the White House, and to work seriously to lift the injustice against the
believers,'' he said, accusing U.S. forces and their allies of intentionally
killing women and children in Afghanistan.
Al-Jazeera aired two brief excerpts of the audiotape, titled ''Message to
the European Peoples,'' which al-Qaida had announced Monday that it would
release soon.
Bin Laden issued four public statements earlier this year _ on Sept. 7,
Sept. 11, Sept. 20 and Oct. 22. The Sept. 7 video was his first in three
years and was issued to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
In 2004, bin Laden offered Europeans a truce if they stopped attacking
Muslims, then later spoke of a truce with the United States. In both cases,
al-Qaida later denounced the countries for not accepting its offers.
Bin Laden eluded coalition troops who invaded Afghanistan in late 2001, and
is believed to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan frontier.
This has been the deadliest year in Afghanistan since the invasion. More
than 6,100 people have been killed - including more than 800 civilians - in
fighting, according to an Associated Press tally of figures from Afghan and
Western officials.
Al-Qaida has dramatically stepped up its messages - a pace seen as a sign of
its increasing technical sophistication and the relative security felt by
its leadership.
Bin Laden's message was the 89th this year by Al-Qaida's media wing,
Al-Sahab, an average of one every three days, double the rate in 2006,
according to IntelCenter, a U.S. counterterrorism group that monitors
militant messaging.
Bin Laden to Europe: Ditch the U.S.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
CAIRO, Egypt -- Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden called on the Europeans to
stop helping the United States in the war in Afghanistan, according to
excerpts of a new audiotape broadcast Thursday on Al-Jazeera television.
Bin Laden said it was unjust for the United States to have invaded
Afghanistan for sheltering him after the 9/11 attacks, saying he was the
''only one responsible'' for the deadly assaults on New York and Washington.
''The events of Manhattan were retaliation against the American-Israeli
alliance's aggression against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, and I am
the only one responsible for it. The Afghan people and government knew
nothing about it. America knows that,'' he said.
The al-Qaida leader said European nations joined the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan ''because they had no other alternative, only to be a
follower.''
''The American tide is ebbing, with God's help, and they will go back to
their countries,'' he said, speaking of Europeans.
Bin Laden urged Europeans to pull away from the fight in Afghanistan.
''It is better for you to stand against your leaders who are dropping in on
the White House, and to work seriously to lift the injustice against the
believers,'' he said, accusing U.S. forces and their allies of intentionally
killing women and children in Afghanistan.
Al-Jazeera aired two brief excerpts of the audiotape, titled ''Message to
the European Peoples,'' which al-Qaida had announced Monday that it would
release soon.
Bin Laden issued four public statements earlier this year _ on Sept. 7,
Sept. 11, Sept. 20 and Oct. 22. The Sept. 7 video was his first in three
years and was issued to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
In 2004, bin Laden offered Europeans a truce if they stopped attacking
Muslims, then later spoke of a truce with the United States. In both cases,
al-Qaida later denounced the countries for not accepting its offers.
Bin Laden eluded coalition troops who invaded Afghanistan in late 2001, and
is believed to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan frontier.
This has been the deadliest year in Afghanistan since the invasion. More
than 6,100 people have been killed - including more than 800 civilians - in
fighting, according to an Associated Press tally of figures from Afghan and
Western officials.
Al-Qaida has dramatically stepped up its messages - a pace seen as a sign of
its increasing technical sophistication and the relative security felt by
its leadership.
Bin Laden's message was the 89th this year by Al-Qaida's media wing,
Al-Sahab, an average of one every three days, double the rate in 2006,
according to IntelCenter, a U.S. counterterrorism group that monitors
militant messaging.
