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Al Qaeda Threatens U.S. Embassies
An American member of al Qaeda threatened foreign diplomats and embassies in the Islamic world calling them "spy dens" in the terror network's latest video released Sunday. The 1 hour, 17 minute-long video also featured a computer animated recreation of a March 2006 suicide attack that killed U.S. diplomat David Foy in Karachi, Pakistan and testimony from a man who claimed to be the bomber. "We shall continue to target you, at home and abroad, just as you target us, at home and abroad, and these spy dens and military command and control centers from which you plotted your aggression against Afghanistan and Iraq," said Adam Gadahn, also known as Azzan al-Amriki. The California-born Gadahn was charged with treason in the U.S. last fall and has been wanted since 2004 by the FBI, which is offering a US$1 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction. He last appeared in a video in May threatening the United States with an attack worse than Sept. 11, 2001.
Story Continues Below The authenticity of the video, which was first carried on the Web site of terrorism expert Laura Mansfield, could not be independently confirmed but it featured the logo of al Qaeda's media production house, as-Sahab. The U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group also said it had obtained a copy of the video. Militant Web forums have been announcing the imminent arrival of a new video featuring Gadahn for days. In the video, Gadahn is seen wearing a traditional Arab red-and-white checkered scarf, and he spoke in English with Arabic subtitles. It was not known when his footage was filmed, because he did not describe any recent specific events. "Years of bitter trial and experience have revealed the danger (embassies) pose and shown that the only way to deal with them when they refuse to leave of their own accord is to expel them by force," Gadahn said. The al Qaeda message also focused on the testimony of suicide bomber Abu Othman, who was shown sitting in a leafy shaded garden explaining how he had once fought in Afghanistan and his reasons for going on jihad, or holy war, against the United States. "These embassies are used to spread moral degradation and encourage women to display themselves and wear make up," said Othman. "They also promote adultery and drinking." "I joined the jihad but then my father came and took me home, but I convinced my parents about the blessings of jihad and they let me return and fight," he added. Othman was shown helping to wire his white compact car with explosives and at the end of the video, he hugged his friends goodbye before driving off into the night to carry out his mission. Al Qaeda's No. 2, Ayman Zawahri, also appeared on the video praising Othman's decision and he outlined the crimes of Western countries against the Islamic world, showing images of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as mosques being destroyed. The March 2006 attack that killed Foy, which was claimed by al Qaeda, also killed three Pakistanis and wounded about 50 others. It happened a day before U.S. President George W. Bush's made an official visit to Pakistan. Pakistani security officials had identified the suicide bomber as Raja Tahir. It was not immediately known if Tahir was the same person who appeared in the video.
© 2007 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note:
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