AL-QAIDA'S STATEMENT
October 9, 2001

Al-Qaida spokesperson Suleiman Abu Gheith delivered a televised statement condemning U.S.-British attacks on Afghanistan. The following is the text of his entire speech translated from Arabic provided by wire services.

Online Special Report: Terrorist Attacks International Reaction Afghanistan   U.S. State Department Office of Counterterrorism Terrorism Research Center International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism

Peace be upon Mohammed, our prophet, and those who follow him. I direct this message to the entire Islamic nation and I say to them that the parties have come together against the nation of Islam and the Muslims. This is the crusade that Bush has promised us coming towards Afghanistan against the Islamic nation and the Islamic people. We are living under this bombardment from the crusade, which is also heading towards the people. We have a fair and just case. The Islamic nation have for more than eight years has been suffering. The Palestinian people have been living under the Jewish and Zionist occupation and nobody moves to help them. Here we are as an Arab land, this is a land that has been desecrated. People have come to take its wealth. The nation must know that the terror the U.S. is declaring is only a trick. Is it possible that America and its allies would kill over these years and that would not be called terrorism and when the victims comes up to revenge, it is called revenge? Isn't this a trick? This must not be acceptable. America must know that the nation will not keep quiet and not allow what happens again. The jihad today is the duty of Muslims. They haven't got any excuse. God has said fight, and for the sake of God and uphold the name of God. The American interests are everywhere all over the world. Every Muslim has to play his real and true role to uphold his religion and his nation and fighting and jihad is a true role. I want to talk on another point that those youth who did what they did and destroyed America with their airplanes -- they have done a good deed. They have moved the battle into the heart of America. America must know that the battle will not leave this land until America leaves our land. Until it stops supporting Israel, until it stops the blockade against Iraq. America must know that the storm of airplanes will not stop, and there are thousands of young people who look forward to death like Americans look forward to living. The Americans must know that by coming to the land of Afghanistan, they have opened a new page of animosity between us and the forces of the unbelievers. We will fight them with everything material we have, and with all our faith in God we will be victorious. Americans have opened a door that will never be closed, and at the end I address the sons and the young Muslims, the men and the women and for them to take the responsibility. And they must know that the land of Afghanistan and the mujahedeen are being subjected to a full crusade with the objective of getting rid of the Islamic nation. The nation take up its responsibility and in the end, I thank God for allowing us to start the jihad and ask God to give us victory in the face of our enemies and return them defeated.