The NEFA Foundation - Statements by Al-Qaida Leadership

Translations/Transcriptions of Statements by Al-Qaida Leadership:

[6/7/08]	New Zawahiri Recording: "Lift the Siege of Gaza!" The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of an audio recording of Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri released by Al-Qaida’s official As-Sahab Media Wing on June 4, titled “On the Anniversary of the Disaster – A Call to Help Our People in Gaza.” During the recording, al-Zawahiri once again called upon “the sons of the Islamic nation [to] break the chains of the treacherous regimes and the impotent authorities [surrounding Israel] and set forth to join the battle and aid the mujahideen.” Dr. al-Zawahiri directed a specific call to “my Muslim brothers in Sinai: help your brothers in Gaza. Join in their battles… and if they start to break down the wall of betrayal, join them.” Al-Zawahiri also appealed to Palestinian Muslims to “increase your martyrdom operations, your rockets, and your ambushes... Keep to your Qurans and your battle trenches, and do not abandon the mission of establishing the rule of Islamic law.”

[6/5/08]	Al-Qaida's Abu al-Yazid Claims Denmark Embassy Bombing in Pakistan The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a communiqué issued by senior Al-Qaida commander Mustafa Abu al-Yazid claiming responsibility for the June 2 suicide bombing attack on the Danish embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. According to al-Yazid, “one of the courageous heroes from Al-Qaida executed a martyrdom operation… targeting the Danish Embassy in Islamabad… We will soon publish more information… as well as [identify] the martyred brother who was responsible for carrying out the operation.” Al-Yazid further indicated that the bombing was carried out “in retaliation for what the infidels from the so-called state of Denmark have published: the insulting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him—which they refused to apologize for publishing, even though they had many opportunities… This should serve as a warning to the infidel countries regarding their crimes against our Prophet Mohammed… They must apologize immediately, or else this will only be the first step in our struggle.”

[5/30/08]	Exclusive: Further Responses from the Second Round of Q&A with al-Zawahiri The NEFA Foundation has translated further excerpts from Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri’s second round of answers to some of the hundreds of questions recently submitted on extremist web forums by Al-Qaida supporters and other interested parties. In response to various questions regarding the structure and relationship between the various “Emirates” in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, al-Zawahiri explained, “the Islamic State of Iraq, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-and I would add to them the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus-are individual Islamic emirates that do not yield to a single ruler… Shaykh Usama Bin Laden is a soldier of the Emir al-Mumineen, Mullah Mohammed Omar, may Allah protect him, and all of those you have cited help and cooperate with each other in order to support Islam and the jihad." Al-Zawahiri was also quick to defend Al-Qaida factions in Iraq, Algeria, and Afghanistan in the face of various critics. According to Dr. al-Zawahiri, “the methodology of the Islamic State of Iraq [is] among the purest banners and methodologies in Iraq… I ask those who have doubts about the Islamic State of Iraq: what is the point of destroying an Islamic state that has arisen after such a long wait in the heart of the Muslim world?” Regarding recent events in Algeria, al-Zawahiri insisted, “I assure you that your brothers from Al-Qaida's Committee in the Islamic Maghreb sincerely care about your lives, property, and honor… They consider guarding your safety as one of their most important religious obligations and they never intend to kill a Muslim unlawfully… Sometimes, mistakes can happen during times of war, which should be corrected and dealt with according to the Shariah. But this doesn't mean that the jihad should simply be stopped.”

[5/29/08]	Usama Bin Laden: "A Message to the Islamic Nation" The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of a May 18 audio recording from Al-Qaida Usama Bin Laden titled “A Message to the Islamic Nation.” During his speech, Bin Laden called upon Muslim youths—particularly those living in countries neighboring Israel—to immediately take up arms in defense of their Palestinian “brothers” in the embattled Gaza Strip. According to Bin Laden, “It is very clear what our brothers, the heroes of Egypt, must do in order to lift that siege, since they are the only ones on the borders [of Gaza]. They should move towards lifting this siege and bringing down this haughty, cruel tyrant [Hosni Mubarak], who has a heart of stone and is the murderer of the children of Gaza… The only way to reach Palestine is to fight the governments and factions that surround the Jews, for they stand between us and them… So, rush towards the battlefields of Jihad, and in particular, those which are closest to Palestine.” Once again, Bin Laden also addressed recent condemnations of Al-Qaida for the killing of fellow Muslims, dismissing these critics as “ignorant of their own religion.”

[5/22/08]	Usama Bin Laden: "A Message to the People of the West" The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled, “A Message to the People of the West from the Shaykh Usama Bin Laden: The Reasons for the Conflict on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Israeli Conquest.” During his speech, Bin Laden sought to “reassure” the world that “the Palestinian issue is the primary central issue of our movement. Thus, it has been an important factor in motivating me since childhood and providing the nineteen liberators [the 9/11 hijackers] with a major longing to aid the oppressed and punish the tyrannical Jews and their supporters.” Further on in his address, Bin Laden attempted to deflect criticism of Al-Qaida’s own controversial terrorist tactics, insisting: “The real terrorism and the armed assaults are being carried out by a leader who is the most terrible instrument of war humanity has ever seen… What really causes revulsion in us is that—in the wake of all this killing, destroying, pillaging, plundering, and decadence—your leaders have arisen intent on discussing certain [shared] principles, and this is simply not possible—so do not combine these two injustices… You have designated Palestinian organizations as terrorist organizations, and they were punished and boycotted as a result. Whereas, on the other hand, the Israelis have actually killed civilians—women and children, with car bombs, too—in Jaffa, Haifa, and [elsewhere].”

[5/11/08]	Al-Qaida Reports "Martyrdom" of Senior Saudi Terrorist Abu Sulaiman al-Otaibi The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of new letter from Al-Qaida leader Mustafa Abu al-Yazid confirming the death of Al-Qaida lieutenant Abu Sulaiman al-Otaibi (a.k.a. Mohammed al-Thibaiti) during clashes with the "crusaders and apostates" in the Paktika province of Afghanistan. According to Saudi media, Abu Sulaiman was a former student at Imam Mohammed bin Saud University and had close contacts with influential Muslim clerics in Saudi Arabia. Upon leaving Saudi Arabia and arriving in neighboring Iraq, he was appointed by Al-Qaida to be the ‘Justice Minister’ of its so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq’ (ISI)--even making rare personal appearances in Al-Qaida propaganda videos. In late 2007, al-Otaibi traveled on from Iraq to Afghanistan, where he spent six months fighting on the frontline there. According to Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, "Allah bestowed [him] with dedication and victory and [he] is an example of courage, sacrifice, and valor… We offer our condolences to… to brothers of Abu Sulaiman especially in Iraq and in the Arabian Peninsula.’”

[5/6/08]	Exclusive: Selected Responses From the Second Round of Q&A with al-Zawahiri The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri’s second round of answers to some of the hundreds of questions recently submitted on extremist web forums by Al-Qaida supporters and other interested parties. Exclusive English translations of selected questions and answers are now available for download. When asked by one critic, “Is jihad only about killing and spilling blood, or are there other ways and means to reach the goals of jihad, without being repulsive”, al-Zawahiri demanded in reply, “if a criminal were to break into your house, hurt your family and kill them, steal your furniture, burn down your home, and then moved on to wreck the houses of your neighbors, would you deal with him gently in order to avoid becoming a member of a band of people who only seek revenge through bloodshed?” In defense of the authority of Al-Qaida’s “Islamic State of Iraq”, Al-Zawahiri insisted, “the Islamic State [of Iraq] is a step towards the establishment of the caliphate, and is superior to the other armed jihadi movements. Thus, it is these groups that are obliged to acknowledge [the authority] of the Islamic State and not vice versa… As for the storming of mosques and markets [by suicide bombers]—this is American propaganda and the Saudi media.”

[4/21/08]	Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri: "On the Fifth Anniversary of the Invasion and Torture of Iraq" The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of a new audio recording released on April 17 of Al-Qaida's Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri. During the audio recording, Dr. al-Zawahiri boasted, "the first signs of victory have already appeared… Soon, Iraq will become a fortress of Islam, from whence the squadrons and regiments tasked with liberating the Al-Aqsa mosque [in Jerusalem] will burst forth, with the help of Allah. Iraq today is the most important frontline for the participation of our Islamic nation against the forces of the crusader zionist invasion. Due to this, providing assistance to the mujahideen in Iraq—at their head, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI)—is one of the most important duties required of the Islamic nation today.” Al-Zawahiri further warned that Muslims "should act now before it is too late. The vanguard should act before we see General Petraeus riding into the streets of Cairo and Riyadh leading ‘Awakening movements’ seeking to spill blood, and storm and violate the holy places.”

[4/2/08]	Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri: "The Open Meeting" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new 90-minute audio recording released today of Al-Qaida's Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri. During the audio recording, Dr. al-Zawahiri responded to many of the hundreds of questions recently submitted on extremist web forums by Al-Qaida supporters and other interested parties. When criticized for killing innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, al-Zawahiri insisted, "We haven't killed the innocents, not in Baghdad, nor in Morocco, nor in Algeria, nor anywhere else… If there is any innocent who was killed in the mujahedeen's operations, then it was either an unintentional error or out of necessity… The enemy intentionally takes up positions in the midst of the Muslims for them to be human shields for him."

[3/24/08]	Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri: "A Call to Help Our People in Gaza" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida’s Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, titled “A Call to Help Our People in Gaza.” During his speech, Zawahiri called upon Muslims everywhere to “attack the interests of the Jews and the Americans… Select your targets, collect the appropriate funds, assemble your equipment, plan [your attacks] accurately, and then charge towards your targets… There is no place today for those who claim that the battlefield with the Jews is limited to Palestine… Let us hit their interests everywhere.”

[3/21/08]	Usama Bin Laden: "The Way for the Salvation of Palestine" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled, "The Way for the Salvation of Palestine." During his speech, Bin Laden insisted that control of Palestine shall only be reclaimed "with iron and fire" and admonished Muslims that "the nearest field of jihad today to support our people in Palestine is the Iraqi field, so it is necessary to be concerned with it, focus on it, and support it." Appealing specifically to Al-Qaida supporters living in the Levant, Bin Laden described how "great an opportunity" it would be for "arriving brothers from Palestine--who were prevented from waging jihad on the hills of Jerusalem--to... hasten to take their positions among the ranks of the mujahideen in Iraq... Then, there shall be a move towards the blessed al-Aqsa... The mujahideen coming from outside shall encounter their brothers within... and the Muslims shall delight in their clear victory."

[3/19/08]	Usama Bin Laden: "May Our Mothers Be Bereaved Of Us If We Fail to Help Our Prophet" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled, "May Our Mothers Be Bereaved Of Us If We Fail to Help Our Prophet." During his speech, Bin Laden once again condemned the publication of cartoons in Denmark deemed offensive to Islam, and the subsequent defense of their publication on free speech grounds. According to Bin Laden, "if there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions...The answer is what you see, not what you hear."

[2/27/08]	Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri: "An Elegy to the Martyred Commander Abu al-Layth al-Libi" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new video recording released today of Al-Qaida's Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri mourning the recent death of Abu al-Laith al-Liby during a U.S. air strike in northern Pakistan. In his video statement, al-Zawahiri acknowledged the significance of the late Libyan commander but insisted that his loss would not deter the plans of Al-Qaida: "Every time a martyr falls, another martyr grabs the banner from him, and every time a chief goes down in blood, another chief completes the march after him... No chief of ours has died a natural death, nor has our blood been spilled without a response."

[2/7/08]	Shaykh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid: "Light and Fire: An Announcement to the Ummah" Al-Qaida's leader in Afghanistan, Shaykh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, has issued a videotaped statement vowing revenge for the killing of senior Al-Qaida commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby in a January 2008 Predator drone strike in Pakistan. Al-Yazid warned that Al-Liby's supporters "will not rest until they avenge him and realize his aspirations and hopes..." He added that "the killing of these heroic chiefs doesn't -- and won't -- end the march of Jihad or extinguish its torch or put out its light as the enemies imagine. Rather, their killing in fact pushes the march forward and strengthens, stabilizes, sharpens and stimulates it." He further remarked, "the enemies of Allah were incapable of confronting Shaykh Abu al-Layth on the battlefield, nor were they able to compete with him as equals, for they are too cowardly and despicable for that. No, they used the weapon of treachery and betrayal, the weapon of the despicable cowards."

[1/31/08]	Al-Fajr Media Center: “Martyrdom” of Abu al-Laith al-Liby The online distribution network responsible for disseminating messages from Usama Bin Laden--known as the "Al-Fajr Media Center"--has issued a new statement announcing the "martyrdom" of senior Al-Qaida commander Shaykh Abu al-Laith al-Liby "along with a group of his brothers on the earth of Muslim Pakistan." According to the statement, "although we mourn his loss, the legacy that he has left behind only increases the blazing fires that will burn the enemies of our faith and religion. How many brothers were there who he trained who turned to the path of jihad, and how often was he supervising the training camps, and how much did he help guide and provide instruction and planning, becoming an expert in all these aspects. He has led battles of pride and glory, destroying the infidel fortresses, and weakening the strength of their soldiers... We say to the infidels everywhere and the crusader army that... the death of our leaders serves as evidence of the propriety of our methods.... with their blood and bodies, our victory will be accomplished."

[1/3/08]	Usama Bin Laden: "The Way to Frustrate the Conspiracies" The NEFA Foundation has obtained the latest audio recording of Usama Bin Laden, titled "The Way to Frustrate the Conspiracies." During his speech, Bin Laden called upon insurgent groups who have resisted joining Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq", urging them to follow the lead of commanders like Abu Hamza al-Muhajir "known to be trustworthy after demonstrating fortitude and resolve in the fierce battles and bombing raids over the peaks of the Hindu Kush, and... well-known to your brothers in Afghanistan." Bin Laden also directed a specific message to Palestinians, reassuring them "we will widen the scope of our jihad and we will not recognize Sykes-Picot borders... Our jihad is to liberate Palestine... Blood for blood, destruction for destruction.""

[12/17/07]	Two Statements by Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated two new statements from Al-Qaida's Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri: 1.) An audio recording titled "Annapolis: The Betrayal" and released on Dec. 14, and 2.) A subsequent video interview released on Dec. 16. In the first recording, al-Zawahiri condemned the recent Israeli-Palestinian peace summit in Annapolis, Maryland and insisted that it was time for Palestinians to recognize "who your real brothers are—those who haven’t abandoned you, even though you accused them of terrorism and radicalism. [They] won't stop working to free Palestine and encouraging the Islamic nation to do the same, even if you flatter the West by condemning them.” has obtained a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled "A Message to the Peoples of Europe." During his speech, Bin Laden acknowledged being "responsible for 9/11", but strongly criticized the U.S. and its European allies for continuing military operations in Afghanistan even after they had "destroyed the camps of al-Qaida and killed some of its members." In addressing his European audience, Bin Laden insisted, "the American tide is ebbing, by the grace of Allah... So it is better for you to restrain your politicians who are thronging the steps of the White House."

[11/30/07]	Usama Bin Laden: "Message to the Peoples of Europe" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a new audio recording from Al-Qaida leader Usama Bin Laden, titled "A Message to the Peoples of Europe." During his speech, Bin Laden acknowledged being "responsible for 9/11", but strongly criticized the U.S. and its European allies for continuing military operations in Afghanistan even after they had "destroyed the camps of al-Qaida and killed some of its members." In addressing his European audience, Bin Laden insisted, "the American tide is ebbing, by the grace of Allah... So it is better for you to restrain your politicians who are thronging the steps of the White House."

[11/25/07]	Al-Fajr Media Center: "We'll Do It Again: Annapolis Shall Not Rescue Their Metropolis" Al-Qaida's official online distribution network responsible for disseminating messages from Usama Bin Laden--known as the "Al-Fajr Media Center"--has issued a new statement titled, "We'll Do It Again: Annapolis Shall Not Rescue Their Metropolis, Written by a Soldier in the Army Aiming to Destroy Their Metropolis." The statement condemned the upcoming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Annapolis, Maryland, as a bid to "declare war against the Muslims and to cleanse the desire for jihad from each and every believer." It further boasted of Al-Qaida's role in "the collapse of Manhattans metropolis": "The decision to target the World Trade Center during the [9/11] raids was a wise one because it made other weaker regimes tremble, run, and hide... Allah has paid back all the Muslims who prepared and executed that attack and has chosen them to lead his battle against evil... The owners of that collapsed metropolis (the Jews) could not handle the fact that it was totally and completely a Muslim operation. Therefore, they have been busy using their media outlets around the entire world (including Al-Jazeera) to spread lies about various 9/11 conspiracy theories... The infidels are in denial about the well-known fate of the World Trade Center We thank Allah for enabling Muslims to destroy it. The statement also included a veiled threat to the Arabian Gulf emirate of Dubai, labeling it "merely another state in the United States, a base for information and intelligence-gathering, a technological and media center, and a center of corruption. The Jews can be found there in the same way they can be found in Tel-Aviv We hope they will learn a lesson and change before Burj al-Arab becomes [the next World Trade Center]."

[10/24/07]	Al-Fajr Media Center: "Statement Regarding Al-Jazeera's Deceitful Manipulation of the Speech by Shaykh Usama Bin Laden" Al-Qaida's official online distribution network responsible for disseminating messages from Usama Bin Laden--known as the "Al-Fajr Media Center"--has issued a new statement strongly criticizing the Arabic-language Al-Jazeera satellite television network, which it has accused of "deceitfully manipulating" the latest audio recording from Bin Laden regarding the growing infighting within the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. According to the Al-Fajr Center, "Aljazeera editors in chief have counterfeited the facts by making the speech appear as exclusively targeting the brothers and sons inside Al-Qaeda organization. It looked as if it was an acknowledgment of their mistakes, a renunciation of their jihad and their loyalty to it."

[10/23/07]	Usama Bin Laden: "A Message to the People of Iraq" In this message, Usama Bin Laden urged unity amongst Iraqi insurgents: "Sticks refuse to break when banded together. But if they come apart, they break one by one. My brothers, the amirs of the Mujahid groups: the Muslims are waiting for you to gather under one banner to enforce the truth. And when you carry out this act of obedience, the Ummah will enjoy the birth year of the group. And how it longs for this year, and perhaps it will come soon at your hands. So seek --may Allah have mercy on you—to carry out this great lost obligation. And it is incumbent on the sincere proper of knowledge and virtue to make every effort to unify the ranks of the Mujahideen, and to not tire of walking the path which leads to that."

[9/20/07]	Usama Bin Laden: "Come to Jihad: A Speech to the People of Pakistan" In this message, Usama Bin Laden urged the Pakistani people to overthrow Pervez Musharraf: "Pervez’s invasion of Lal Masjid in the City of Islam, Islamabad, is a sad event, like the crime of the Hindus in their invasion and destruction of the Babari Masjid...this event demonstrated Musharraf’s insistence on continuing his loyalty, submissiveness and aid to America against the Muslims, and this is one of the ten nullifiers of Islam, as the people of knowledge have determined, and makes armed rebellion against him and removing him obligatory."

[9/8/07]	Usama Bin Laden: "The Solution" In this message, Usama Bin Laden informed the American people that "there are two solutions for stopping" the Iraq war: "The first is from our side, and it is to continue to escalate the killing and fighting against you. This is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out, and I ask Allah to grant them resolve and victory. And the second solution is from your side. It has now become clear to you and the entire world the impotence of the democratic system and how it plays with the interests of the peoples and their blood by sacrificing soldiers and populations to achieve the interests of the major corporations." He added, "I invite you to embrace Islam, for the greatest mistake one can make in this world and one which is uncorrectable is to die while not surrendering to Allah, the Most High, in all aspects of one's life -i.e., to die outside of Islam."