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Al-Qaeda Spokesman Says bin Laden Alive, Warns U.S.
Monday, June 24, 2002
The Sidney Morning Herald

"We will not desist from striking at America everywhere ... The whole world will see these are not just threats. The coming days and months will prove to the world the credibility of what we are saying. "Our (would-be) martyrs are bracing to carry out these operations against US and Jewish targets," Abu Ghaith said, without elaborating.

Location -- Source
A spokesman for the al-Qaeda network emerged on television yesterday to announce that chief terror suspect Osama bin Laden and his cohorts were alive and well and warn the United States to "fasten its seat belt" in preparation for more attacks.

"Osama bin Laden, (his right-hand man and head of the Egyptian branch of Al-Jihad) Ayman Zawahri and (fugitive Afghan Taliban leader) Mullah (Mohammad) Omar are in good health, contrary to rumours that they were injured in Tora Bora," said Suleiman Abu Ghaith.

"Ninety-eight percent of al-Qaeda leaders escaped unhurt and are running its affairs unaffected" by US bombing raids in Afghanistan, Abu Ghaith said in a lengthy statement aired on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite channel.

Abu Ghaith referred to "the eight months that have passed" since the United States launched its military campaign in Afghanistan in October, indicating his statement was recorded in June.

"The whole world and the friends of the Mujahedin (Islamic fighters) in the Muslim world will soon have the pleasure of seeing bin Laden on television," added Abu Ghaith, who was stripped of his Kuwaiti citizenship because of his alleged links to the September 11 attacks blamed on al-Qaeda.

The al-Qaeda spokesman also threatened "new attacks against American targets."
(More: SMH.com News Source)
2002 © The Sidney Morning Herald.

Funny that he didn't need a spokesman before we killed him...

Dan