White House and State Department officials Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of an audiotape with Osama bin Laden’s voice aired on the al Jazeera network in which the al Qaida leader urges the Iraqi people to engage in martyrdom operations against American “crusaders.” On the tape, bin Laden says: “Those who attack your brothers cannot be your friend. Fight with them, even if it means sacrificing your life for defending your brothers. Iraq is not an aggressor, America is.” He went on to say, “We hope that our brothers in Iraq will learn from our martyrs to fight them as we did before. … It is not us but our martyrs that they fear. We need martyrs to defeat the enemies and instill fear in their hearts as they did against the Americans and the Israelis before.” In the 16-minute tape, bin Laden predicts a great battle between Iraq and the United States and urges the Iraqis to remain strong and hold their military positions. He also says a U.S. war against Iraq is meant to expand a greater Israel. “It is the infidel who is attacking you. And in this war we are with you. Fight in the name of God and you will win,” bin Laden says in a section directed at the Iraqi people. Full Story
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