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November 11, 2007 at 11:11:05

Is Osama bin Laden Dead? Part 3: Confession as Theater

by Mac McKinney Page 1 of 3 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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As I said in Part 1 of this series, "Given all the above evidence and statements, particularly the accounts of his hospital visits for kidney dialysis, it is certainly reasonable and logical to conclude that bin Laden expired in December of 2001......So what was it that brought him back to life after even multiple commentators buried him, a life that keeps on going and going, just like the Energizer Bunny Rabbit, in the mainstream media globally to this very day? The answer, in a word: TAPES...." (click here to read Part 1)

In Part 2 (click here to read Part 2), we looked at bin Laden's first two tapes after 9/11 and his written interview with Ummat Newspaper in September 2001. In Part 3, I will continue to focus on the Osama bin Laden video tapes between 9/11 and the end of 2001. There were, according to authorities, three (sort of) more tapes besides the first two, two of them being released to the public, and the other one, a mystery tape, never seeing the light of day publicly.

Chronologically, this mystery tape was first headlined in the British Daily Telegraph on Nov 11, 2001, although the article indicates the actual tape was made some two weeks earlier. This dramatic news was just a week or so after bin Laden's Nov. 4 outdoor videotape, Tape #2 for our purposes, in which he is completely opaque about any involvement in 9/11, acting as if he was more of a spectator commenting on the event. But the mystery tape now overrides that posture with this blaring headline:

Bin Laden: Yes, I did it

By David Bamber

Last Updated: 12:41am GMT 11/11/2001

OSAMA BIN LADEN has for the first time admitted that his al-Qa'eda group carried out the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the Telegraph can reveal.

In a previously undisclosed video which has been circulating for 14 days among his supporters, he confesses that "history should be a witness that we are terrorists. Yes, we kill their innocents".

In the footage, shot in the Afghan mountains at the end of October, a smiling bin Laden goes on to say that the World Trade Centre's twin towers were a "legitimate target" and the pilots who hijacked the planes were "blessed by Allah".

The killing of at least 4,537 people was justified, he claims, because they were "not civilians" but were working for the American system......(source and rest of article)

Then, some three days later, on November 14, Tony Blair gave a speech in parliament based on the same video's contents. To quote from Maher Osseiran in his article Bush, Blair and the Osama Tapes (If the Moon Could Talk, What Would it Say?):

.....Blair addressed parliament and informed the audience that the British Government (had) published transcript excerpts of the "video" in which it says Bin Laden admitted taking his campaign to the United States. The article (a Nov 14 CNN article) quotes bin Laden as saying: "It is what we instigated for awhile, in self-defence. If avenging the killing of our people is terrorism, let history be a witness that we are terrorists. The battle has been moved inside America, and we shall continue until we win this battle, or die in the cause and meet our maker."

Now since Jalalabad fell on Nov. 14, the same day Mr. Blair uttered that quote in parliament, and, the president of the United States' first exposure to the "American video" recovered in Jalalabad was not until Nov. 29, one has to assume that the "video" Mr. Blair is referring to is a different "video". After all, if it is the same "video", how could Mr. Blair have knowledge of something that has not yet existed? (source)

But after such a dramatic pronouncement before the public, this Tsunami-like evidence of bin Laden's alleged confession, far from being revealed to the world, suddenly fell into a black hole. On the same day Blair spoke, to again quote Maher Osseiran:

....the tape commits a disappearing act and this is how T.R. Reid, the Washington Post Foreign Service correspondent, reports from London on its official introduction in Parliament by Tony Blair; he writes: "The British government did not release the video or a full transcript, saying it does not have a copy of the video but has information about it from intelligence sources." In the same article, he also reports that there was an interviewer on the tape. (source)

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11 comments

Live in Australia, work for public service, interested in social justice issues and hate the lies and fraud that are powering the current crises.
brianLive in Australia, work for public service, interested in social justice issues and hate the lies and fraud that are powering the current crises.

FBI has said it has no evidence Bin Laden did 9-11

Note that the FBI has said it has no hard evidence taht OBL di 9-11:

FBI says, “No hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11”
Global Research, June 10, 2006
Muckracker Report
Email this article to a friend Print this article
June 6, 2006 – This past weekend, a thought provoking e-mail circulated through Internet news groups, and was sent to the Muckraker Report by Mr. Paul V. Sheridan (Winner of the 2005 Civil Justice Foundation Award), bringing attention to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist web page for Usama Bin Laden.[1] (See bottom of this web page for Most Wanted page) In the e-mail, the question is asked, “Why doesn’t Usama Bin Laden’s Most Wanted poster make any direct connection with the events of September 11, 2001?” The FBI says on its Bin Laden web page that Usama Bin Laden is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998 bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. According to the FBI, these attacks killed over 200 people. The FBI concludes its reason for “wanting” Bin Laden by saying, “In addition, Bin Laden is a suspect in other terrorists attacks throughout the world.” On June 5, 2006, the Muckraker Report contacted the FBI Headquarters, (202) 324-3000, to learn why Bin Laden’s Most Wanted poster did not indicate that Usama was also wanted in connection with 9/11. The Muckraker Report spoke with Rex Tomb, Chief of Investigative Publicity for the FBI. When asked why there is no mention of 9/11 on Bin Laden’s Most Wanted web page, Tomb said, “The reason why 9/11 is not mentioned on Usama Bin Laden’s Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11.” Surprised by the ease in which this FBI spokesman made such an astonishing statement, I asked, “How this was possible?” Tomb continued, “Bin Laden has not been formally charged in connection to 9/11.” I asked, “How does that work?” Tomb continued, “The FBI gathers evidence. Once evidence is gathered, it is turned over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice than decides whether it has enough evidence to present to a federal grand jury. In the case of the 1998 United States Embassies being bombed, Bin Laden has been formally indicted and charged by a grand jury. He has not been formally indicted and charged in connection with 9/11 because the FBI has no hard evidence connected Bin Laden to 9/11.”

etc

click here we have the pentagon claiming its videos are evidence, andthe FBI saying they are not!

Such open conflict brings the Pentagons (neocons central) evidence into doubt, as well as their integrity...

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 7:39:21 PM

Maher Osseiran is a freelance investigative journalist and geopolitical analyst specializing in the Middle East. Maher uses his engineering and scientific research background as primary tools in his investigative work. His life experiences and intimate knowledge of the Middle East and its culture has allowed him to write very accurate analysis ahead of many mainstream media outlets. His articles can be read on www.mydemocracy.net
Maher OsseiranMaher Osseiran is a freelance investigative journalist and geopolitical analyst specializing in the Middle East. Maher uses his engineering and scientific research background as primary tools in his investigative work. His life experiences and intimate knowledge of the Middle East and its culture has allowed him to write very accurate analysis ahead of many mainstream media outlets. His articles can be read on www.mydemocracy.net

Need to Follow All the Evidence

Hello Mac and Brian,

You both accurately quote Ed Haas and I but you quote two older articles.

"Bush and Blair, if the moon could talk" is the first article I wrote and wrote after only two months of research. What you quote from the article is correct and the argument is correct but the total timeline reached was unfortunately incorrect. I rushed publishing the article, warts and all, for fear for my own safety and felt safer with the material in the public domain.

There was more work to do and after almost a year, the more accurate article with the correct timeline was published on counterpunch "Osama's Confession; Osama's Reprieve".

Within days of that publication, Ed Haas and I made contact and have been working together since.

You might want to read "Is Bin Laden Responsible for the 9/11 Attack?" click on the word work in the article to see our work on the topic.

Brian mention the FBI article of June 2006 which predates our collaborative work.

I know that you are all searching for the truth but it is important to view all the evidence.

Now, is Bin Laden dead or alive?

I think it is immaterial since whatever Bush and Blair have done since 9/11, and possibly before, falls somewhere between dereliction of duty and high treason and the work Ed and I have done proves that.

Best,
Maher Osseiran

by Maher Osseiran (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 11:41:10 AM

Student of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and advocate for peace, justice and the unity of humankind, not through force, but through self-realization and mutual respect.
Mac McKinneyStudent of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and advocate for peace, justice and the unity of humankind, not through force, but through self-realization and mutual respect.

Thanks for Info

Thanks Maher,

I'll look into the article you suggest above and see what I need to correct. There is so much info, often contradictory, that my head is almost spinning from trying to absorb it.

But I think trying to determine if bin Laden is dead is valuable in its own right, because, if nothing else, his "live" image is still waved around like a red flag in a bull ring, just to ratchet up anger and hatred. And if he is dead, that opens up further trails of inquiry into just who is manufacturing deceit here, the US, al Qaeda, Pakistan, all three? This is like opening Chinese boxes.

by Mac McKinney (42 articles, 69 quicklinks, 164 diaries, 1064 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 11:53:13 AM

OBL is dead

Osama bin Laden:
A dead nemesis perpetuated by the US government

etc

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osama_dead.html

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 7:36:40 PM

more on OBL funeral

lation of Funeral Article in Egyptian Paper:
al-Wafd, Wednesday, December 26, 2001 Vol 15 No 4633

News of Bin Laden's Death
and Funeral 10 days ago

Islamabad -
A prominent official in the Afghan Taleban movement announced yesterday the death of Osama bin Laden, the chief of al-Qa'da organization, stating that binLaden suffered serious complications in the lungs and died a natural and quiet death. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, stated to The Observer of Pakistan that he had himself attended the funeral of bin Laden and saw his face prior to burial in Tora Bora 10 days ago. He mentioned that 30 of al-Qa'da fighters attended the burial as well as members of his family and some friends from the Taleban. In the farewell ceremony to his final rest guns were fired in the air. The official stated that it is difficult to pinpoint the burial location of bin Laden because according to the Wahhabi tradition no mark is left by the grave. He stressed that it is unlikely that the American forces would ever uncover any traces of bin Laden. '

see link for arabic original

http://www.welfarestate.com/binladen/funeral/

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 7:49:03 PM

Follow-up on Maher's Advice

Actually, Maher, I have read the article you linked in your comments. I just didn't recognize the title right away. I don't think that article is contradicting what I quoted information from your earlier article about the "mystery tape". I imagine your comment is more directed toward Brian's comment.

Don't worry, I am really doing some hard looking here, including at your efforts. Your sting theme seems pretty sound, but I am getting the sense that this was even a larger Kubuki Play being produced than we think. One might almost have to, like Odysseus or Aeneas, go find a priestess and visit the shores of the River Styx to interview the dead, to really get to the bottom of this mare's nest. That would be quite a journalistic coup, n'est pas?

by Mac McKinney (42 articles, 69 quicklinks, 164 diaries, 1064 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 3:54:12 PM

True, No Contradiction + Material or Immaterial

It is true Mac that there is no contradiction, but that first article, even though the timeline is close to perfect, it was reached by coincidence.

What threw me off was the lousy Pentagon translation, at the time, I had not received the complete tape from CSPAN and did not have the help of the translator who performed the translation for ABC News.

About Bin Laden being dead or alive, no one can really tell, even if he is waved at us day in and day out, I cannot be satisfied that he is dead unless DNA evidence and dental records link a dead body to him.

Funerals can be stages, mis-information can be floated, without hard evidence, it is only gossip. Can anyone of us prove his real status, the answer is no and trying to do so is a waste of time.

I cannot accept the self serving testimony of the Taleban or Israeli intelligence.

From what I know about Bin Laden through my work, he is a patsey; you might want to call him the "Accidental Terrorist". The brain behind Al-Qaeda is Al-Zawahiri and Hamza Bin-Laden, Osama's favorite son, is being groomed to take his place; there will be a younger more fibrant face to the leadership.

What is really important is what is easier to expose, the acts of treason and misprission of treason by the Bush administration and both leaderships in House and Senate.

by Maher Osseiran (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 11:26:32 AM

Its very material

'Now, is Bin Laden dead or alive?

Maher. its very material as the War on terror (regd TM) is basde on the 9-11 attacks. The invasion of afghanistan was based on Bin ladens being behind 9-11. Now we learn the FBI says not only ash it no concrete evidence, it puts in doubt the wonky videos used to justify the invasion.

Its very relevant.If OBL didnt do it.,..who did?

Was it these guys?

The Five Dancing Israelis
Arrested On 9-11

As the world watched in disbelief and asked the question...

...Mossad operatives were seen dancing with joy.

A Mossad surveillance team made quite a public spectacle of themselves on 9-11.

The New York Times reported Thursday that a group of five men had set up video cameras aimed at the Twin Towers prior to the attack on Tuesday, and were seen congratulating one another afterwards. (1)

Police received several calls from angry New Jersey residents claiming "middle-eastern" men with a white van were videotaping the disaster with shouts of joy and mockery. (2)

"They were like happy, you know … They didn't look shocked to me" said a witness. (3)

[T]hey were seen by New Jersey residents on Sept. 11 making fun of the World Trade Center ruins and going to extreme lengths to photograph themselves in front of the wreckage. (4)

Witnesses saw them jumping for joy in Liberty State Park after the initial impact (5). Later on, other witnesses saw them celebrating on a roof in Weehawken, and still more witnesses later saw them celebrating with high fives in a Jersey City parking lot. (6)

"It looked like they're hooked in with this. It looked like they knew what was going to happen when they were at Liberty State Park." (7)

One anonymous phone call to the authorities actually led them to close down all of New York's bridges and tunnels. The mystery caller told the 9-1-1 dispatcher that a group of Palestinians were mixing a bomb inside of a white van headed for the Holland Tunnel. Here's the transcript from NBC News:

Dispatcher: Jersey City police.
Caller: Yes, we have a white van, 2 or 3 guys in there, they look like Palestinians and going around a building.
Caller: There's a minivan heading toward the Holland tunnel, I see the guy by Newark Airport mixing some junk and he has those sheikh uniform.
Dispatcher: He has what?
Caller: He's dressed like an Arab. (8)

(*Writer's note: Why would this mystery caller specifically say that these "Arabs" were Palestinians? How would he know that? Palestinians usually dress in western style clothes, not "sheikh uniforms")

Based on that phone call, police then issued a "Be-on-the-Lookout" alert for a white mini-van heading for the city's bridges and tunnels from New Jersey.

White, 2000 Chevrolet van with 'Urban Moving Systems' sign on back seen at Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ, at the time of first impact of jetliner into World Trade Center Three individuals with van were seen celebrating after initial impact and subsequent explosion. FBI Newark Field Office requests that, if the van is located, hold for prints and detain individuals. (9)

When a van fitting that exact description was stopped just before crossing into New York, the suspicious "middle-easterners" were apprehended. Imagine the surprise of the police officers when these terror suspects turned out to be Israelis!

According to ABC’s 20/20, when the van belonging to the cheering Israelis was stopped by the police, the driver of the van, Sivan Kurzberg, told the officers:

"We are Israelis. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are your problem." (10)

Why did he feel that Palestinians were a problem for the NYPD?

The police and FBI field agents became very suspicious when they found maps of the city with certain places highlighted, box cutters (the same items that the hijackers supposedly used), $4700 cash stuffed in a sock, and foreign passports. Police also told the Bergen Record that bomb sniffing dogs were brought to the van and that they reacted as if they had smelled explosives. (11)

etc

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fiveisraelis.html

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 7:24:41 PM

Not a huge fan of What Really Happened

Seems to me that many alternative websites take a certain position and do it too quick, on weak arguments and evidence, and later do whatever they can do to justify the position they took.

I have seen it with What Really Happened, antiwar, alternet, Global Research, etc..., many of them start acting as gate keepers and don't budge unless their credibility is on the line. The other funny thing is, they start black listing writers who manage to publish on competing websites regardless of the quality of the material; actually not funny, pathetic.

Cherry picking is alive and well on the left and right and it is very unfortunate and a disservice to the readers.

Those sites have a following and their following start acting in the same way, cherry picking the articles that agree with what they already believe.

Mac took the time to read the links I mentioned, have you managed to do the same brian.

by Maher Osseiran (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 11:38:59 AM

You seem to have dismissed by links very readily

You seem to have dismissed my links very readily. Cherry picking? Isnt that what youve just done?

What really happened had plenty of evidence of israeli involvement, from credible sources....yet u just ignored it....Why?

by brian (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 4:25:49 PM

Limiting Discussion to Issue

Bin Laden dead or alive, I Thought that was the issue.

I have read most articles on Israeli involvement, I don't have to re-read them. Also Ed Haas wrote a very strong article about it and has a source that overheard Israelis discussing the attacks on the WTC. That person contacted the FBI and tried to warn them but the FBI did not want to deal with him.

I find Ed's work much stronger than any other out there. He did not just publish what the source told him, he went and butted heads with the FBI and filed FOIA requests and appealed them to get to the bottom of things.

Anyway, take what I say whichever way you want but what is important is to question everything you read and assign the proper value to it.

by Maher Osseiran (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 1:04:11 PM