'Al Qaeda' tape warns US over Cuba prisoners

[rooboy]

An Arabic television network has aired an audio tape it says was made by a top Al Qaeda official, who warns the US it will pay a high price if it harms any of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The Dubai-based Al Arabiya says the audio tape is of top Al Qaeda official Ayman Al Zawahri.

He is considered to be Osama bin Laden's right-hand man.

"America has announced it will start putting on trial in front of military tribunals the Muslim detainees at Guantanamo and might sentence them to death," the voice on the tape said.

"I swear in the name of God that the crusader America will pay a dear price for any harm it inflicts on any of the Muslim detainees."

Al Arabiya identified the voice as Zawahri's. It gave no details.

"We tell America only one thing: what you have suffered until now is only the initial skirmishes - the real battle has not started yet," the man on the tape said

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s916094.htm

[liberalmuse]

1. Well, Jesus

Leave it to Bush to make cold-blooded terrorists seem compassionate, next to him.

[ScotTissue]

3. They don't.

Leave it to terrorists to make the Guantanamo Bay gulag look justified.

[Maple]

2. One way or another

Bush seems determined to play into Al Qaedas hands.

Maybe his playbook on strategy is upside down?

[Ouabache]

4. Unless, Maple,

they are both running plays out of the same playbook.

[jamesinca]

5. He needs a rating bump

Went on vaction for a month at the pig farm, is going to have some people killed at Gitmo, has been warned about an impending attack in addition to the threat made on this tape. He needs another WTC to get his ratings up. The highly publicised death of Oday and Qusay Hussein did nothing for his popularity, he is still being dogged by questions from the SOTU. He needs another war or attack against the U.S. to justify his tax cuts in the name of national security. After all National security and the handeling of the war on terrorism has been where he ranks highest in the polls.

LIHOP!!!! it is going to happen, get use to it with this administration.

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. I agree with you, Jamesinca

Am waiting to see what disaster will occur just prior to 2004 election time. The pattern has repeated itself in so many ways at so many convenient times during this administration.
:dem:

[sandnsea]

7. A hijacking - kidnapping???

That's the traditional way terrorists handle trying to get prisoners back. Are we looking at Iran again? Or exploding airplanes until the US releases prisoners? No, I don't think I'm helping them, I'm sure they've thought of more scenarios than I ever could. This doesn't look good guys.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. You raise

a good point sandnsea. Seems a lot of bad things are being piled on the Bush dinner table lately. Unfortunately, we have to eat his scraps no matter what happens. Am not holding my breath that any of this will bring Bush down before election time in 2004, and that the thugs in charge here will use any and all of this to create new diversions away from what is really going on. I trust them to screw up some more, no matter what the casualties to Americans and democracy.

[Muddleoftheroad]

11. What would you have them do?

Release the al Qaeda folks for fear of more attacks?

Come on. You can't negotiate with terrorists and al Qaeda will attack U.S. interests pretty much no matter what anyone does.

[study_war_no_more]

12. Americans would attack US "interests" if they they pull their heads out of

the sand!!!

[Muddleoftheroad]

15. Care to elaborate?

That was vague.

[geomon]

9. Everyone should read this.

This could be big.... I wonder how much air play Bush's "Come and get us" threat (?!?!) got in Arabic media??

I would think that the US media will not promote this heavily....gotta have control of the emotions of the people, ya know.

[xchrom]

10. osama and al queda love

george w. bush -- he's done so much for their cause. pathetic ain't it. and he continues to feed their ''cause''.

[study_war_no_more]

13. Jihad?

Arn't the cuban detainees mostly from Afganistan/Taliban?

[Trek234]

14. <sigh>

Jihad is essentially holy war for muslims.

The taliban were (are) radical muslims. Therefore they are essentially "soldiers" in Bin Ladens jihad.

Any muslim who will "answer the call" - so to speak - are. It does not matter what nation they are from.

[bluedog]

16. todays paper in Fl

there was an article about bush giving special treatment to the POws from Brition....it stated that people don't think its fair because...ONLY if a country was involved with bushs coalition would he be pushed to give them special treatment,,,,,in other words they would not face the death penality..but NON coalition countries men would....