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Bin Laden said to offer gold for killings
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-07 09:27 An audio recording attributed to Osama bin Laden
offered rewards in gold Thursday for the killing of top U.S. and U.N. officials
in Iraq or of the citizens of any nation fighting there.
The 20-minute recording, dated Thursday, appeared on two
Web sites known for militant Islamic messages. The voice sounded like that of
bin Laden and the words were laden with Quranic verse, but the authenticity of
the recording could not immediately be verified.
Osama bin Laden poses in this undated
photograph taken in Afghanistan. [AP] |
The CIA is looking into the statement, a spokesman said, speaking on the
condition of anonymity. Bin Laden had never been known to offer rewards for
missions he had described as followers' religious duty to carry out.
"You know that America promised big rewards for those who kill mujahedeen
(holy warriors)," the speaker said. "We in al-Qaida organization will guarantee,
God willing, 10,000 grams of gold to whoever kills the occupier Bremer, or the
American chief commander or his deputy in Iraq."
He was referring to L. Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator in Iraq, and
top military officials.
"For security reasons, the rewards will be given as soon as conditions
permit, God willing," the voice said. "As for those who die while killing an
occupying solider, the great prize will be for us and for him when God grants
him martyrdom, and the smaller prize (the gold) will be for his family."
The United States has offered rewards of its own for information leading to
the captures or deaths of bin Laden and his top lieutenants, as well as for top
figures in the former Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein. The price on bin
Laden's head now stands at $50 million — far more than the nearly $125,000 that
10,000 grams of gold is worth.
The recording promised the same reward for the deaths of U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his envoy to Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi.
"The United Nations is nothing but a Zionists' tool, even if it worked
under the cover of providing humanitarian aid," the voice said. "... Whoever
kills Kofi Annan or the head of his commission in Iraq or a representative like
Lakhdar Brahimi, he will be awarded the same prize of 10,000 grams of gold."
The speaker promised a lesser prize — 1,000 grams of gold — to anyone killing
a citizen of countries he called "the masters of the veto like Americans and
Britons" — a reference to nations with veto power on the U.N. Security Council.
And he offered 500 grams of gold to anyone killing citizens of countries he
called "slaves of the Security Council who are in Iraq, like Japan and Italy."
The context indicated the rewards applied to citizens of those countries who
are in Iraq.
With gold selling Thursday on London exchanges for $387.60 a troy ounce,
10,000 grams of gold was valued at $124,630, 1,000 grams at $12,463, and 500
grams at $6,231.
The recordings appeared on Web sites for the Ansar Islam Forum and the
Islamic Research Center. Both are clearing-houses for statements by al-Qaida and
other Islamic militant groups. The forum also has a bulletin board on which
extremists chat and comment on the statements.
The speaker denounced U.S. plans to hand sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30,
calling them a trick to end the resistance that has killed hundreds of U.S.
soldiers.
"The so-called handing sovereignty over to Iraqis is an overt trick, to
anesthetize the people and abort the militant resistance, and (such a trick)
will not deceive the true mujahedeen of the sons of Iraq," the voice said.
"There is no sovereignty for Iraq as long as a crusader solider remains in
its land, and no sovereignty for Iraq as long as it is not ruled by Islam."
The speaker urged Iraqis to fight a holy war against their U.S.-appointed
Governing Council, which he called a "puppet" of the U.S.-led coalition and "a
tool to pass their plans to the people and a way to show their hatred of
religion."
"Therefore, jihad (holy war) is obligatory for all Muslims in Iraq," the
speaker said.
He also threatened any Iraqis helping the U.S.-led coalition.
"Whoever helps the infidels against Muslims, or helps the occupying forces
and whatever is affiliated to them — such as the transitional or permanent
government — is committing a violation to Islam," he said, warning of
consequences including "spilling blood, taking his money, separating him from
his wife."
The recording was titled: "A Word from the emir of the Islamic armies, Osama,
to the nation and especially to brotherly Muslims in Iraq."
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