Terror Tapes - Al Qaeda Video Tapes

KidD01 · Post by **KidD01** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:27 pm

The CNN site oulls lots of bandiwdth when you try to click on the video link. Perhaps it's because of the pop up windows.

Any way the idea of media fraud also make sense. Reporters are known for their scams to boost up the channel rating too

@Weasel : True indeed, you can't get GB elsewhere but here

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:32 pm

Try this link http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/videoplay ... ideo519062

CM · Post by CM » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:47 pm

Hey thanks alot. I will check those soon.
Also for those in Europe, it is on Insight at 10:30 CET.
Which is in 45 min here.
9:30 BST.
Unless of course they changed it and moved it to 11 CET for the special.

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:49 pm

Thanks for the link HLD, sadly it is so blurred I cannot make heads or tails of it. The picture they showed of OBL though is IMO old.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:57 pm

Thanks a lot HLD

Like Weasel, I could not form an opinion based on this clip since it was very jerky and blurry. I agree with Weasel that the image of OBL looks old, perhaps a few years.

@CM: Thank you, I've turned on my TV and wait.

CM · Post by CM » Mon Aug 19, 2002 1:58 pm

Actually CE it is 11:00 CET.
They changed the timing, that is according to teletext.
I am staying up to watch that.

CM · Post by CM » Mon Aug 19, 2002 2:05 pm

What BBC has to say:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2203742.stm
It has 3 pics of the chemical experiment.

Another interesting article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1730164.stm

Another: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1759786.stm

I will post what the muslim newspapers have to say on this tomororw.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 2:14 pm

Originally posted by CM
Actually CE it is 11:00 CET.
They changed the timing, that is according to teletext.
I am staying up to watch that.

I'll also watch that, in the meanwhile I check out what the links to BBC has to say.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 2:15 pm

I have read a couple of new stories on this from CNN, FOX News and CBS News and I don't think that authenticity of the tapes is in doubt; each outlet is reporting that "experts" (who ever they may be) have viewed the tapes and apparently there is no doubt as to their being made by Al-Qaeda at some point and their primary function appears to be as training videos for wide distribution through out their network.

What is in doubt is their usefulness to the intelligence community; they're apparently old, most appear to have been made before the 11 September attacks and the US-led offensive in Afghanistan. In addition, they don't show us anything about Al-Qaeda's capabilities we didn't know before.

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 2:26 pm

Truth is the first casualty of war. Its quite easy for detractors to shout "fake".

Chemical weapons tests on dogs? These people have done worse (and killing dogs is bad enough).

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 3:42 pm

I have seen the CNN Insight now. I agree with HLD:s post above regarding the questions of these videos, and personally I believe the Al Queda is sending a message here since the videos demonstrate what they can do. A little reminder to the US perhaps.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 4:20 pm

Originally posted by Gruntboy
Truth is the first casualty of war. Its quite easy for detractors to shout "fake".

Kinda ironic, because Ponsonby meant that near-quote to refer to governments in times of war. Personally, I'm glad there are detractors. When they're around, they cut holes through government manipulation and misinformation (which are endemic to *all* governments, certainly not just the US) and attempt to let a little light in. When the detractors are automatically judged as liars and cowed into submission out of nationalism, we're in danger.

I find myself forming a united front here with HLD and CE. The tapes look a lot more "real" than the tape briefly touted by the government several months ago as showing bin Ladan detailing his plans against the US. I suspect, too, like CE, that this tape didn't just accidentally appear. It may be an effort to throw a scare into the world by showing that the terrorist group has the know-how to use chemical warfare. I realize there's a political liability for the Bush admnistration in focusing on bin Ladan now, since they haven't done what they claimed they would, but I'd much rather hear about efforts to track him down than attempts to bomb Iraq.

CM · Post by CM » Tue Aug 20, 2002 1:59 am

Well i have saw the same report as CE saw, did some reading on the Islamic networks and called up friends and stuff. I also believe that some of these videos are true. I havent seen all 64 - none of us have, so i cant comment on the rest. The breif clipings i did see seemed real. Best thing to go with, though CNN is pretty stupid to think they got lucky.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Tue Aug 20, 2002 6:28 am

Originally posted by fable
I find myself forming a united front here with HLD and CE.

It looks like we all got the same message from the voices this time . . .

CNN got lucky in the sense that they were the ones who got to break the story, as opposed to the BBC, FOX News or one of the other media outlets. If there is a messge in the tapes, do you think it's a specific message (ie-when you see the tape of the dogs being killed, go forth with plan A; if you see the tape with the flamethrower, execute plan B, etc.) or is it just a message to the US that Al-Qaeda may be down, but they're not out?

I don't think that a tape of somone killing dogs with a chemical agent or instructions on how to build a bomb should be especially alarming to anyone. You or I could do the same sorts of things after spending about two hours on the internet getting instructions, a day gathering supplies at local stores and another day building a device.

We've known for a long time that Al-Qaeda has bomb-building capability and we've known that they were pursing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The fact that they appear to have some chemical agents likewise should not be a surprise, nor would it be unreasonable to expect them to use a chemical weapon on another target in the near future. What would be unreasonable is to think that this is something new from Al-Qaeda and to think that we're in more danger today than we were a week ago.

CM · Post by CM » Tue Aug 20, 2002 6:33 am

Just a weird idea, but why is the dog so well groomed and healthy in the video. Dogs as dirty animals according to Islam. We arent supposed to keep them anywhere near the house and such, rather they are attacked and killed in most backward parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and other muslim countries. I just dont see how fundementalist muslims would keep unclean animals n such good condition.

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:05 pm

Fable, when I mentioned truth I was talking about the easy kind of misinformation anyone with an internet connection can make. "they're fake", "that's old footage", "the US destroyed those towers themselves".

I don't find it difficult to believe in the slightest.