2001 Statements by Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants released by al-Jazeera
satellite TV Text of al-Qaida Statement, as read by one of Osama Bin Laden's lieutenants
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a spokesman for Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda group, has
called on Muslims to join in a holy war against the United States. Below is
the full text of the statement: We thank Almighty God, who said in his holy book: Ye who believe, take not
the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but
friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them
is of them. Verily God guideth not a people unjustly. May God's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his companions,
and those who followed his course. I address this message to the entire Muslim nation to tell them that the
confederates have joined forces against the Islamic nation and the Crusader
war, promised by Bush, has been launched against Afghanistan and against
this people who have faith in God. We now live under this Crusader bombardment that targets the entire nation.
The Islamic nation should know that we defend a just cause. The Islamic nation has been groaning in pain for more than 80 years under
the yoke of the joint Jewish-Crusader aggression. Palestine is living under
the yoke of the Jewish occupation and its people groan from this repression
and persecution while no-one lifts a finger. The Arabian Peninsula is being
defiled by the feet of those who came to occupy these lands, usurp these
holy places, and plunder these resources. The Islamic nation must also know that the US version of terrorism is a kind
of deception. Is it logical for the United States and its allies to carry
out this repression, persecution, plundering, and bloodletting over these
long years without this being called terrorism, while when the victim tries
to seek justice, he is described as terrorist? This type of deception can never be accepted in any case whatsoever. Let the United States know that the Islamic nation will not remain silent
after this day on what it is experiencing and what takes place in its land,
and that jihad for the sake of God today is an obligation on every Muslim in
this land if he has no excuse. God Almighty has said: Then fight in God's cause, thou art held responsible
only for thyself and rouse the believers. It may be that God will restrain
the fury of the unbelievers, for God is the strongest in might and in
punishment. US interests are spread throughout the world. So, every Muslim should carry
out his real role to champion his Islamic nation and religion. Carrying out
terrorism against the oppressors is one of the tenets of our religion and
Shari'ah. Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including
steeds of war, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies of God and
your enemies. I would like to touch on one important point in this address. The actions by
these young men who destroyed the United States and launched the storm of
planes against it have done a good deed. They transferred the battle into the US heartland. Let the United States
know that with God's permission, the battle will continue to be waged on its
territory until it leaves our lands, stops its support for the Jews, and
lifts the unjust embargo on the Iraqi people who have lost more than one
million children. The Americans should know that the storm of plane attacks will not abate,
with God's permission. There are thousands of the Islamic nation's youths
who are eager to die just as the Americans are eager to live. They should know that with their invasion of the land of Afghanistan, they
have started a new phase of enmity and conflict between us and the forces of
infidelity. We are confident that we will achieve victory thanks to our
material and moral strength and confidence and faith in Almighty God. The
Americans have opened a door which will under no circumstances be shut. I address Muslim youths, men, and women and urge them to shoulder their
responsibility. They should know that the land of Afghanistan and the
mujahidin there are really facing an all-out Crusader war which is aimed at
eliminating this group which believes in God and fights on the basis of a
creed and religion. Thus, the nation must shoulder its responsibility. It
would be a disgrace if the Islamic nation fails to do so. Finally, I thank Almighty God who enabled us to engage in this jihad and
fight this battle, which is a decisive one between infidelity and faith. I
ask Almighty God to grant us victory on our enemy, make their machinations
backfire on them, and defeat them. May God's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. Source: BBC Monitoring ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Text of Osama bin Laden's statement I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his
messenger. There is America, hit by God in one of its softest spots. Its greatest
buildings were destroyed, thank God for that. There is America, full of fear
from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that. What America is tasting now, is something insignificant compared to what we
have tasted for scores of years. Our nation (the Islamic world) has been
tasting this humiliation and this degradation for more than 80 years. Its
sons are killed, its blood is shed, its sanctuaries are attacked, and no-one
hears and no-one heeds. When God blessed one of the groups of Islam, vanguards of Islam, they
destroyed America. I pray to God to elevate their status and bless them. Millions of innocent children are being killed as I speak. They are being
killed in Iraq without committing any sins and we don't hear condemnation or
a fatwa from the rulers. In these days, Israeli tanks infest Palestine - in
Jenin, Ramallah, Rafah, Beit Jalla, and other places in the land of Islam,
and we don't hear anyone raising his voice or moving a limb. When the sword comes down (on America), after 80 years, hypocrisy rears its
ugly head. They deplore and they lament for those killers, who have abused
the blood, honour, and sanctuaries of Muslims. The least that can be said
about those people, is that they are debauched. They have followed
injustice. They supported the butcher over the victim, the oppressor over
the innocent child. May God show them His wrath and give them what they
deserve. I say that the situation is clear and obvious. After this event, after the
senior officials have spoken in America, starting with the head of infidels
worldwide, Bush, and those with him. They have come out in force with their
men and have turned even the countries that belong to Islam to this
treachery, and they want to wag their tail at God, to fight Islam, to
suppress people in the name of terrorism. When people at the ends of the earth, Japan, were killed by their hundreds
of thousands, young and old, it was not considered a war crime, it is
something that has justification. Millions of children in Iraq, is something
that has justification. But when they lose dozens of people in Nairobi and
Dar es Salaam (capitals of Kenya and Tanzania, where US embassies were
bombed in 1998), Iraq was struck and Afghanistan was struck. Hypocrisy stood
in force behind the head of infidels worldwide, behind the cowards of this
age, America and those who are with it. These events have divided the whole world into two sides. The side of
believers and the side of infidels, may God keep you away from them. Every
Muslim has to rush to make his religion victorious. The winds of faith have
come. The winds of change have come to eradicate oppression from the island
of Muhammad, peace be upon him. To America, I say only a few words to it and its people. I swear by God, who
has elevated the skies without pillars, neither America nor the people who
live in it will dream of security before we live it in Palestine, and not
before all the infidel armies leave the land of Muhammad, peace by upon him. God is great, may pride be with Islam. May peace and God's mercy be upon
you. Source: Associated Press

17. November 2001