Translation of the purported Osama bin Laden tape broadcast on al-Jazeera.
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent: A Message to our Muslim brothers in Iraq. Alsalam Alikom Wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakato. (Koran verse) Oh Believers, be pious to God, and never die but when you are believers in Islam.
We are following with utmost concern the Crusaders' preparations to occupy the former capital of Islam (Baghdad), loot the fortunes of the Muslims and install a puppet regime on you that follows its masters in Washington and Tel Aviv like the rest of the treacherous puppet Arab governments as a prelude to the formation of Greater Israel.
We need to reassure - while we are close to the unjust war, the war of the bawds, America is leading with its allies and agents - on a number of important lessons:
AP
full transcript here:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/12/1044927652254.html
It mentions Iraq few times but no saddam or other heads down there. He seems to call few of them infidels?
It also mentions Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, the country of the two shrines (Saudi Arabia), Yemen Pakistan and Tora Bora.
Hmm how do most of the major news deduct form this that saddam is in cooperation with bin ladin, and that Iraq harbors al qaeda camps/cells?
Wasn't he supposed to be dead? It seems he made it out safely most likely to Pakistan?
Josh