A Rapid-fire Riposte
A bare two days after the latest audio tape attributed to Osama bin Laden was aired, al Qaeda has spoken again, refusing to leave the stage to Washington’s comments and the guesswork surrounding the high terror alert declared United States, Britain, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Normally, months go by between al Qaeda statements. Not this time, according to a fresh release that reached DEBKAfile‘s counter-terrorism and intelligence sources Thursday, February 13.
The new Al Qaeda message is signed by Abu al Baraa Al-Qarshy, one of bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants, who explicitly promises a painful terrorist attack is on the way.
Al- Qarshy says:
“Praise Allah, our sheikh’s words have reached the general leadership of the Muslims and the Mujahideen throughout the world.”
In other words: Al-Qaeda instructions have reached all of its cells across the globe, and were understood only by those belonging to the Mujahideen.
“Wait, our friends, salvation is at hand and the painful blow is on its way. It will be a sweeping attack recognizable, with God’s help, to those who believe with all their hearts in jihad and the Mujahideen.”
The text also hints that at least one of the planned attacks will be against Americans in Saudi Arabia or the Arabian Peninsula.
In answer to the responses made by the White House and US officials to the bin Laden tape, as conveyed on Tuesday, February 11:
“They have lied about our sheikh and the holy warriors — may God’s curse be upon them. In the name of merciful Allah, a happy holiday, which to me is a double cause for celebration.
First, we have the feast of the sacrifice, and we ask Allah to make us victorious over our enemies in the coming year.
The special cause for celebration was hearing the beautiful voice of sheikh Osama bin Laden. Its beauty and sublimity almost made me forget the contents of the historic speech. Those unfamiliar with our sheikh, Osama bin Laden, will find it hard to decipher his sermon.”
The message then goes on to refer to statements by CIA Director George Tenet referring to possible attacks in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula.
“I wish to clarify something unrelated to the message but connected with our enemies, the Crusaders in the Black House (Ed. the Americans in the White House) and the Munafiqim. (Ed. Muslims who pretended to support the Prophet Mohammed but in reality opposed him).
“More than one Crusader in the Black House hinted that our sheikh will use weapons of mass destruction in the land of two temples. (Ed. a reference to Saudi Arabia and its two holy cities, Mecca and Medina).
“I swear to God that for al Qaeda’s cells operating in the land of two temples, this concept is as distant as east is to west. Special care will be taken not to harm Muslims – anyone who does will suffer severe punishment to the point of execution.
“Moreover, the land of the two temples is the only place where an individual is forbidden to act without the consent of the supreme leadership. I swear to ensure no mistakes are made, so that each blow against the Crusaders in this holy land will be painful and not spill a drop of Muslim blood.
“The government, despite its paucity of information about al Qaeda cells, knows that al Qaeda can reach any place at any time, regardless of security measures taken in the land of the two temples. But the government is not disseminating this information. Precautions were taken in that part of the world (Saudi Arabia) because it is the land of the two temples and the birthplace and center of Islam.
“The majority of al-Qaeda’s active leadership in the land of two temples – the Mujahideen – need not expand its religious consciousness or make further preparations because it has already been trained to be prepared.
“Praise Allah, the message of the sheikh has reached the general leadership of the Muslims and Mujahideen throughout the world, and those orders will be understood only by those who are part of the Mujahideen.
“And wait, salvation is near and the painful blow is on the way. It will be sweeping, and with God’s help and signs recognized by those who believe in their hearts in jihad and the Mujahideen. Moreover it will be sweeping, with the help of God and the signs that true believers in jihad and the Mujahideen will recognize. And God will proclaim paradise and our sheikh will take the Islamic army to his bosom and its flag shall fly everywhere in the world. We are waiting.
Your brother,
Abu Al-Baraa Al-Qarshy
