CAIRO, Egypt - Osama bin Laden criticized the publication of drawings insulting to the Prophet Muhammad in a new audio message posted late Wednesday and warned Europeans of a strong reaction to come.
The message, which appeared on a militant Web site that has carried al-Qaida statements in the past and bore the logo of the extremist group's media wing al-Sahab, showed a still image of bin Laden aiming with an AK-47.
The five-minute message issued a warning to Europeans but made no mention of the fifth anniversary Wednesday of the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq.
"The response will be what you see and not what you hear and let our mothers bereave us if we do not make victorious our messenger of God," said a voice believed to be bin Laden's, without specifying what action would be taken.
The tape came as the Muslim world marks the Prophet Muhammad's birthday on Thursday and amid the reigniting of a two-year-old controversy over some Danish cartoons deemed by Muslims to be insulting. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.
On Feb. 13, Danish newspapers republished a cartoon showing Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban to show their commitment to freedom of speech after police said they had uncovered a plot to kill the artist.
Danish intelligence service said the reprinting of the cartoon had brought "negative attention" to Denmark and may have increased the risk to Danes at home and abroad.
The original 12 cartoons first published in a Danish newspaper triggered major protests in Muslim countries in 2006. There have been renewed protests in the last month.
Adam Raisman, senior analyst at the SITE Institute, a Washington-based group that monitors terror messages, said that the tape's release coincides with an increased buzz in online jihadi forums calling for revenge on Europe over the cartoons.
But Raisman noted that bin Laden's message did not specifically mention the republishing of the cartoons, only the publishing, and it did not give any other time landmarks to prove it had been recorded since then.
Raisman also noted bin Laden's silence on Wednesday's fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
"The tape doesn't give any specific evidence that would allow us to determine when it was recorded," Raisman said.
In the message, Bin Laden described the cartoons as taking place in the framework of a "new Crusade" against Islam, in which the Pope has played a "large and lengthy role."
"You went overboard in your unbelief and freed yourselves of the etiquettes of dispute and fighting and went to the extent of publishing these insulting drawings," said the voice believed to be Bin Laden's. "This is the greatest misfortune and the most dangerous and the judgment for it will be stronger."
Well, if he doesn't like cartoons, then how about a photograph of my dog Mohammed?
8 comments:
I didn't know it was the Prophet's (phishingscams be upon him) birthday. I'll have to wear my Mo Da Bomb t-shirt tomorrow in his honor.
Tomorrow's the Prophet's birthday, huh?
How sad for the whole world.
By the way, that explains why we invaded Iraq on March 20th.
;-)
Mo is da bomb.
This site says Mo's B-day is in May:
http://www.istc.org/sisp/?fx=event&event_id=28327
REPORT ALL MALES AS TERRORIST SUSPECTS!
Cumbria Police have confirmed they are urging the public to report groups of young males so they can be checked out as possible Muslim terrorists.
The advice comes in the same week as Mohammed Hamid - who dubbed himself Osama Bin London - was jailed indefinitely for operating Al-Qaida-style training camps in the Langdales during 2004.
At a meeting of Kirby Lonsdale Town Council, Kendal-based sergeant Jonathan Sizer told members any sightings of young Asian men should be reported to the police. But DCI Lee Johnson, of Cumbria's criminal intelligence department, later stressed that it was not only men of Asian appearance that should be reported.
He urged people who saw any large group of males to report them as extremists did not have to be of a certain appearance. However, he confirmed that large groups of women were not under suspicion.
From http://cumbrianpatriotbnp.blogspot.com/2008/03/cumbria-police-issue-terror-alert-all.html
Ya know, between Mohammad's (pigs be upon him) birthday, Purim starting yesterday, the war's anniversary, The Last Supper and Good Friday all in such alignment you'd think he could have been a little more creative & uplifting in his message.
Hey Osama! Thanks for the Easter Greetings you son of a . . .
Yeah, it's like a perfect storm of holidays.
Right. Had me a bit edgy something bad may happen when I realized it. But with the types of events I'd suspect something more in Israel or Rome. So far so good. Have a good Easter, all.
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