Al Qaeda's No. 2 Defends Deadly Attacks

In Response To Online Questions, Al-Zawahiri Says Terrorist Organization Doesn't Kill Innocents

(AP)  Al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri responded to criticism Wednesday about the organization's notoriously brutal tactics, maintaining that it does not kill innocents, in an hour-and-a half-long audio response to questions submitted to the movement on extremist Web sites.

The audio message, which was accompanied by a 46-page English transcript, was the first installment of answers to a raft of online questions and focused mainly on future al Qaeda efforts elsewhere in the region, particularly Egypt.

"We haven't killed the innocents, not in Baghdad nor in Morocco, nor in Algeria, nor anywhere else," he said according to the English transcript which, like the audio message, appeared on Web sites linked to the group.

The answer was in response to the question "excuse me, Mr. Zawahiri, but who is it who is killing with Your Excellency's blessing the innocents in Baghdad, Morocco and Algeria?"

Al Qaeda has taken credit for the destruction of the World Trade Center which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City in 2001, while its affiliates in Iraq, Afghanistan and Algeria regularly set off explosives in crowded urban areas that have taken thousands of lives.

"If there is any innocent who was killed in the Mujahideen's operations, then it was either an unintentional error or out of necessity," Zawahiri added.

He went on to say that it was their opponents who killed innocents and also noted that "the enemy intentionally takes up positions in the midst of the Muslims for them to be human shields for him."

Zawahiri reassured many of the questioners, who seemed worried about the direction of the organization, that the global jihad was on track and would soon expand elsewhere.

"I expect the Jihadi influence to spread after the Americans' exit from Iraq, and to move towards Jerusalem," he said to those asking when attacks on Israel would take place.

He also predicted the end of the Saudi state, which is "swimming against the tide of history" and the government of his native Egypt, which he called a "corrupt, rotten regime (that) cannot possibly continue."

Many of the questions he chose to answer focused on restarting the jihad in Egypt, which Zawahiri himself helped begin and was crushed by the government in the 1990s.

"The days will reveal to you what you didn't know, and news will come to you from those who didn't have it," he said quoting an old Arabic proverb, about when the jihad would begin again in Egypt, and counseled patience.

Egypt's plainclothes State Security officers and uniformed police were declared "permissible to kill" in the struggle for Egypt and he hinted that he had supporters in the Egyptian army, like the man who assassinated former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981.

"The Egyptian army which produced Khalid al-Islambouli ... continues to be full of those whose hearts boil with jealousy for Islam and Muslims and who long for the opportunity to remove the corrupt gang which rules Egypt," he said.

Though the tape could not be independently verified, the message bore the logo of the Al Qaeda's media arm, al-Sahab, and appeared on Web sites linked to the organization.

Al-Zawahiri said he chose around 100 questions to answer.

Al-Sahab announced in December that al-Zawahiri would take questions from the public posted on Islamic militant Web sites and would respond "as soon as possible."

Zawahiri also addressed the issue of al Qaeda's founder, Osama bin Laden, assuring supporters that the reclusive leader was in good health.

"Sheik Osama bin Laden is healthy and well, by the grace of Allah," he said, while noting he would not be there forever. "He must die one day, whereas Allah's religion will remain."

[Latrocinor]

speakinup,

Sounds like you are among the 14% of dumber-than-******* Americans who are happy with the current direction of our country.

How sad and lonely it must be for you, to see your craven little fascistic experiment blowing up in your face, and your pathetic little world shrinking by the minute.

Thank you for criticizing my views here. Since anyone can see that you have been consistently wrong about every single thing, your criticisms only seem to confirm that my views are correct.

Posted by FeelFree1 at 09:09 PM : Apr 03, 2008
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Same things I think about you when I read your posts. LMAO!

[tomron5]

Why can''t we see video "al quadas no 2 deadly attacks videos.

[prinzowhales]

I see nothing was learned from the disaster at Chernobyl or from Hiroshima...or Nagasaki...or the DU already spread throughout Iraq...Label someone an "extremist"...and drop a nuclear weapon on them

Even the bizarre world portrayed in the film IDIOCRACY did not reach the profound depths of stupidity and moral depravity that is reflected in such mouthings...

[swwils]

We need to just unleash Israel on them extremist and let them handle that Middle east crisis,they have 300 nukes,while those countries harboring these terrorist have squat.The U.S.A.,with Israel could end this crisis quick if the politicians would allow the Generals to do their jobs.

[swwils]

I don''t understand why we can''t take these crazy leaders out.We have satellites that can read peoples lips,but we can''t capture a bunch of cave dwelling goat herders.Send in search and destroy teams and clean these idiots up,send them all to Allah.

[hermitdave]

FeelFree I notice CBS is a bit more laid back than ABC. They don''t seem to play the old change the name of the story and dump any critical comments. I notice you seem to do a good job upsetting the dumbest among us. I can''t believe so many people don''t see managed news. I think they are just afraid to admit how dumb they are.

[dennishart4]

We setup an "I hate these filthy animals" forum. Please check it out www.theoandavirus.com

[prinzowhales]

Its good that Ayman has steady employment with the US government...The last time I remember seeing him he was pushing a beat up old shopping cart full of gee-gaws down Rodeo Drive with a sad little balloon tied to it...He stopped in front of Bijan...hectoring Iranians...it was there that he was discovered by Mel Brooks and Zsa Zsa Gabor and became involved in the magical world of US-sponsored jihadi comedy...

[feelfree1]

speakinup,

Sounds like you are among the 14% of dumber-than-******* Americans who are happy with the current direction of our country.

How sad and lonely it must be for you, to see your craven little fascistic experiment blowing up in your face, and your pathetic little world shrinking by the minute.

Thank you for criticizing my views here. Since anyone can see that you have been consistently wrong about every single thing, your criticisms only seem to confirm that my views are correct.

[speakinup]

oh FeelFree - get over your self hallucinations of grandure, and make the realization there are only crack-pots that believe the stories that you spew out.

For pete sake, only those that love Hugo would ever believe the sort of cr@p you dish out.

Grow a brain, honey. let go. The longer you hold onto your problems, the more you allow them to hurt you.

You and POW need a shrink.

[speakinup]

Like I said before - does ANYONE know where this dude''s finger was before he put it into the air ?

Maybe that''s the reason he always has that sour-puss look on his face.

[speakinup]

"pleas (sic) refer to my first 6 comments on this thread. - feelfree

Like ANYONE thinks you are that engaging. Hah!




So I haven''t been on in a few hours, has anyone noticed if this twit or Prinzowhales has used the age old "fear" claim like I predicted ?


It is the weakest lie they have, and the only defense they can use to support the terrorists.

[feelfree1]

To sum up once more, if this article is representative of the "al-Qaeda" threat, then "al-Qaeda" is little more than a twisted and deadly joke (pleas refer to my first 6 comments on this thread).

The 9/11 Commission Report is equally laughable, and is not at all believable, and we must have a fresh, independent investigation of those events if we are ever to find out what really happened on that day.

Meanwhile, we must continue to work to get the Bush cabal and their accomplices before a competent judge, a gallows, a firing squad, or whatever.

[prinzowhales]

knayil--And, you could care less that the vast majority of Iraqis want us gone from the land..We should just operate on the fear that the worst will happen...We committed a heinous crime against humanity when we invaded that country--by continuing to occupy, rape, murder, humiliate, torture and maim Iraqis, we are doing nothing to help them.

Mission Accomplished! A million dead, four million refugees and untold wounded with lifes destroyed... and still Americans want to pretend that they are there to help...that their murderous presence is going to make the lifes of these Iraqis better--when for over a quarter of a century we have dedicated ourselves to destroying Iraq!

The last five years of bloody war and occupation are just the latest chapter in our dealings with Iraq... our interactions with that people have led to the steady deterioration of life in Iraq and there is no promise of a better future for the Iraqis...

Get the servants of the Zionazi swine on Wall Street and in the City out of Iraq! That is what Iraqis want! If you want to help, go as far away from Iraq as you can!!!

[j-whitman]

SNAFU ---- See you later

[ajmarine1]

Despite the Iraqi government''s welcome of Moqtada Sadr''s statement, this is not victory. What exists now in Basra now is a stalemate.

The militias which have made Basra a place of fear - murdering 100 women over the past year for failing to wear Islamic dress, for instance - remain in place.

And on the national political stage Prime Minister Maliki has been weakened, while Moqtada Sadr has been strengthened. The Coalition cannot be happy with any of that. The question remains, what is the British Army doing in southern Iraq?

[j-whitman]

Also on the Foreign Relations Commitee last night, the discussed Iran --- Intrests of both Iran & the UAE is in the stability of Iraaq, not in the instiblity. The costant turmoil effects their region.

[ajmarine1]

Bye J.

[j-whitman]

Economic surge, Yep, we need one too ----- Got to go do some yard work, catch you later

[ajmarine1]

Yes, but more if we stay.

Posted by j-whitman at 03:59 PM : Apr 03, 2008


The Iraq government nor our government will do the hard things that need to be done to Sadr and his army to be the main power in Iraq, so we might as well get out.

My only hope is Iraq has an economic surge, people start making money(rich people are alot less likly to fight as poor, women get to more rights and want to change things, and this will help slow or soften the spread of an Irainian Islamic type government in Iraq.