Islamabad, January 24: Osama Bin Laden has claimed responsibility for the failed attack on a US airliner on December 25 in a new audio tape.
In the tape obtained by Al Jazeera, the world’s most wanted man warns Barack Obama, the US president, that there will be more attacks unless he finds a solution to the Palestinian crisis.
The audio tape is believed to have been recorded last month.
“The message I want to convey to you through the plane of the hero Omar Farouk [Abdulmutallab], reaffirms a previous message that the heroes of 9/11 conveyed to you.
“America will never dream of living in peace unless we live it in Palestine. It is unfair that you enjoy a safe life while our brothers in Gaza suffer greatly.
“Therefore, with God’s will, our attacks on you will continue as long as you continue to support Israel,” bin Laden said.
Al-Qaeda’s leader concluded: “If it was possible to carry our messages to you by words we wouldn’t have carried them to you by planes.”
Attempted attack
Abdulmutallab, who is now in US police custody, allegedly attempted to ignite explosives sewn into his underwear as Northwest Airlines Flight 253 made its final descent to Detroit on Christmas Day.
Imtiaz Gul, chairman of the Centre for Research and Security Studies
He had boarded the flight in Amsterdam, but purchased his tickets in Ghana on December 16.
Passengers on the flight were able to overpower the would-be bomber as he attempted to ignite the explosive’s fuse.
After being taken into custody, Abdulmuttalab told police he had been directed by al-Qaeda and had obtained his explosive device in Yemen.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the organisation’s affiliate in Yemen, has also claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a revenge for the US role in a Yemeni military offensive against al-Qaeda.
Obama has criticised his own intelligence agencies for failing to piece together information about the suspect which should have stopped him boarding the flight.
Palestinian cause
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Imtiaz Gul, the chairman of the Centre for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad, said that the al-Qaeda leader in his new message was possibly emphasising his commitment to the cause of the Palestinians.
“Probably this was to remind the Palestinians of al-Qaeda’s commitment to the cause and perhaps coinciding it with the first year of Obama’s presidential office,” he said.
“One thing is very clear, Osama still has followers spread all over the world and such messages do reinvigorate the spirit in these people about their mission.
“These kind of public relations exercise do help on the one hand in propagating the organisation’s ideology and on the other hand in stemming a new confidence, new vigour into the ranks of the followers.
“I think the validity of this tape should be subjected to scrutiny because we haven’t heard from Mr Bin Laden for quite some time.”
——-Agencies