Osama bin Laden and Ville Valo: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->

[[Image:Laden.jpg|frame|right|Osama bin Laden]]

| Name = Ville Valo

'''Us&#257;mah bin Muhammad bin `Awad bin L&#257;din''' (born [[March 10]], [[1957]]) ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: &#1571;&#1587;&#1575;&#1605;&#1577; &#1576;&#1606; &#1605;&#1581;&#1605;&#1583; &#1576;&#1606; &#1593;&#1608;&#1583; &#1576;&#1606; &#1604;&#1575;&#1583;&#1606;), commonly known as '''Osama bin Laden''' (&#1571;&#1587;&#1575;&#1605;&#1577; &#1576;&#1606; &#1604;&#1575;&#1583;&#1606;), is the figurehead of [[al-Qaeda]], an [[Islamism|Islamist]] movement that has been involved in attacks against civilians and military targets around the world. He is believed to have inspired the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on [[New York]] and [[Washington]] (9/11), which killed at least 2,752 people.

| Img = Ville_Valo.jpg

| Background = solo_singer

| Birth_name = Ville Hermanni Valo

| Born = {{birth_date_and_age|1976|11|22}}<br/><small>[[Vallila]], [[Finland]]</small>

| Died =

| Origin = Finland

| Instrument = [[Vocals]],[[Bass guitar|Bass]],[[Drums]],[[Guitar]],[[Piano]].

| Genre = fundaded [[Love Metal]] |

| Occupation = [[Singer]], [[Songwriter]]

| Years_active = [[1983 in music|1983]] - Present

| Label =

| Associated_acts = [[HIM (band)|HIM]]

[[Daniel Lioneye]]

| URL = [http://www.heartagram.com/ Official website]

}}

'''Ville Hermanni Valo''' ({{Audio|Fi-Ville_Valo.ogg|pronunciation}}) (born [[November 22]], [[1976]]) is the [[vocalist]], [[songwriter]] and frontman of the [[Finland|Finnish]] [[Love Metal]] band [[HIM (band)|HIM]]. They have released five full length albums, and as of [[2006]], they are the first and only Finnish rock band to sell Gold in the [[United States]].

==Early life==

[[bin Laden family|His immensely wealthy family]] publicly disowned him in [[1994]], shortly before the [[Saudi Arabia|Saudi Arabian]] [[government]] revoked his [[citizenship]]. <!--It would be better to give the year than to say it was several years before something else.--> He attended his son's wedding in January 2001, but since 9/11 is believed only to have had contact with his mother on one occasion. (See [[Osama bin Laden#Osama and the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks|Osama and the September 11 Terrorist Attacks]] below.)

Valo was born to a [[Finland|Finnish]] father named Kari and a mother of [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]] descent named Anita in a small suburb of Helsinki called [[Vallila]]. As a child, Ville was influenced by his music-loving parents, who exposed him to the songs of popular Finnish performers such as [[Tapio Rautavaara]] and [[Rauli Badding Somerjoki]], while an older cousin introduced him to the heavier sounds of bands like [[KISS (band)|KISS]], [[Black Sabbath]] and [[Iron Maiden]]. Valo's first musical step was as a three year old [[bongo drum|bongo]] drummer. At age nine, Valo attended the Pop and Jazz Conservatory in [[Helsinki]], where he studied several different musical genres. His father eventually opened a [[sex shop]] where Valo often worked before launching his career in music. Valo's father's [[sex shop]] is still in business today and doing well, according to interviews with Valo. His interests gradually expanded to include [[reggae]], early [[blues]] and country-oriented material such as [[Johnny Cash]], [[Roy Orbison]] and [[Neil Young]]. From a young age, Valo's enthusiasm for music also took a more active form of expression, and he participated in a large number of different Helsinki-based bands: B.L.O.O.D. (1986-89), Eloveena Boys (1987-88), Kemoterapia (1989-97) and numerous other, more obscure projects.

==Side Projects==

One of Bin Laden's main goals was to force the removal of U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia, where two of [[Islam]]'s holiest places are located. The U.S. has announced that it will close its bases, although it is unclear whether Bin Laden's activities were a factor in this decision.

Apart from working with HIM, and side-project [[Daniel Lioneye]], Valo has kept busy in the music world, collaborating with many artists over the years. He contributed guest vocals for The 69 Eyes, on [[Apocalyptica]]'s album ''[[Apocalyptica (album)|Apocalyptica]]'' for the song "Bittersweet" (with [[The Rasmus]]' singer [[Lauri Ylönen]]), on [[The Bloodhound Gang]]'s ''[[Hefty Fine]]'' for the song "Something Diabolical", and on [[Cradle of Filth]]'s ''[[Thornography]]'' for the song "The Byronic Man". In 2007 he duetted with Polish German actress [[Natalia Avelon]] for a cover of [[Nancy Sinatra]] and [[Lee Hazlewood]]'s song "Summer Wine", part of the ''[[Das Wilde Leben]]'' soundtrack. A video featuring both was recorded as well.

<br>

Bin Laden is probably the "most wanted" man in the world with a reward for information leading to his capture of US$50 million. His current whereabouts are unknown, although he is widely believed to be hiding along the [[Afghanistan]]-[[Pakistan]] border or in the semi-autonomous Pakistani tribal area of the [[Toba Kakar Range|Toba Kakar Mountains]] near [[Waziristan]].

'''''Below is a list of Valo's side projects and collaborations.'''''

* ''[[Skreppers]] & Ville Valo (1995)

* ''[[Apocalyptica]] & Ville Valo (1996)

* ''[[The 69 Eyes]] & Ville Valo (1997)

* ''[[Tehosekoitin]] & Ville Valo (1999)

* ''The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo (1999)

* ''[[Neljä Ruusua]] & HIM (1999)

* ''[[Agents]]& Ville Valo - Paratiisi, Jykevää On Rakkaus, Ikkunaprinsessa(1999)

* ''[[Tributti Tuomari Nurmio]]: Ville Valo & Others (2000)

* ''[[The 69 Eyes]] & Ville Valo (2000)

* ''[[Musta Paraati]], Ville Valo, Gas Lipstick & Others (2001)

* ''[[Daniel Lioneye And The Rollers]]/Daniel Lioneye And The Blues Explosion (2001)

* ''[[The 69 Eyes]] & Thulsa Doom (2001)

* ''[[Five Fifteen]] & Ville Valo - The Prostitue & Season Of The Witch (2001)

* ''[[The 69 Eyes]] & Ville Valo (2002)

* ''[[The Skreppers]], Ville Valo, [[Migé Amour]] & [[Lily Lazer]] (2002)

* ''[[The Mission]] & Ville Valo (2002)

* ''[[Lowemotor Corporation]] & Ville Valo - Love Me (2003/2004)

* ''[[The Skreppers]] & Ville Valo (2004)

* ''[[The 69 Eyes]] & Ville Valo - Beneath the Blue (2004)

* ''[[Apocalyptica]] feat. Ville Valo & Lauri Ylönen - Bittersweet (2004) (FIN: #1, D: #6)

* ''Two Witches & Ville Valo - Dracula Rising (2005)

* ''[[Bloodhound Gang]] feat. Ville Valo - Something Diabolical (2005)

* ''[[Isabelle´s Gift]] feat. Ville Valo - If I Die Tonight (2006)

* ''[[Cradle of Filth]] feat. Ville Valo - The Byronic Man (2006)

* ''Ville Valo & [[Tommi Viksten]] - Kun Minä Kotoani Läksin (2006)

* ''[[Kari Tapio]] & Ville Valo - Tällä Pohjantähden Alla (2006)

* ''Ville Valo & [[Natalia Avelon]] - Summer Wine (2007) (FIN: #1, D: #2, AU: #4, CH: #2)

* ''Ville Valo & Manna - Just for Tonight (2007) ==

==[[HIM (band)|HIM]]==

==Names==

{{main|HIM (band)}}

Osama bin Laden's name can be [[transliteration|transliterated]] in several ways. The form used here, Osama bin Laden, is used by most [[English language|English-language]] [[mass media]], including [[Cable News Network|CNN]] and the [[BBC]]. The second most common English-language form of the name is '''Usama bin Laden''' (used by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] and [[FOX News]]), commonly abbreviated to ''UBL''. Less common renderings include '''Ussamah Bin Ladin''' and '''Oussama Ben Laden''' (used in [[French language|French-language]] mass media). The latter part of the name can also be found as '''ibn Laden'''<!--"ibn" is NOT a typo!-->, '''Binladen''' or '''Binladin'''.

==Trivia==

Strictly speaking, under the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] naming convention, it is incorrect to use "bin Laden" as though it were a Western surname. His full name means "Osama, son of Mohammed, son of Laden." However, the bin Laden family (or "Binladin," as they prefer to be known) generally use the name as a surname, in the Western style. The family company is known as the [[Binladin Brothers for Contracting and Industry]] and is one of the largest corporations in Saudi Arabia. For this reason, although the Arabic convention would be to refer to him either as "Osama" or "Osama bin Laden," using "bin Laden" is in accordance with the family's own usage of the name and is the near-universal convention in Western references to him.

{{Trivia|date=June 2007}}

[[Image:Kerranghim.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Ville Valo on the cover on Kerrang! magazine.]]

*[[Bam Margera]]'s character in the 2003 movie ''[[Haggard: The Movie|Haggard]]'' is named after Ville Valo.<ref name="imdb">http://www.imdb.com/name/nm</ref>

*He makes a very small appearance in ''[[Jackass: Number Two]]''.<ref name="imdb" />

*He was voted as #13 on a television program in which people voted for who they thought were the greatest Finns of all time<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suuret_suomalaiset]</ref>

*He can also be seen in clips of episodes from [[Viva La Bam]] while they were in Finland.

*He has a number of tattoos, including a pair of Edgar Allan Poe's eyes on his shoulder blades.<ref>[http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo/celeb-valo.htm VILLE VALO TATTOO PICS PHOTOS]</ref>

*He learned to walk with the help of the family dog Sami, and when the dog died, not only was he extremely upset, he also apparently developed his allergies to animals and asthma at the same time.<ref>http://www.tv.com/ville-valo/person//trivia.html</ref>

*He smokes about 60 cigarettes a day (around 21,900 a year) to give his voice a gruff, husky edge.<ref>http://www.tobacco.org/news/.html</ref>

*Valo is an avid reader and has indicated that he draws a large influence for his music from the books that he has read. Among his favorite authors he includes Finnish writer, [[Timo K. Mukka]], and American writers [[Edgar Allan Poe]] and [[Charles Bukowski]].

*Ville appears in the music video "Wasting the Dawn" by The 69 Eyes as Jim Morrison of The Doors.

==References==

Osama bin Laden has several [[Pseudonym|aliases]] and [[nickname]]s, including '''the Prince''', '''the Emir''', '''Abu Abdallah''', '''Mujahid Shaykh''', '''Hajj''', and '''the Director'''.

{{reflist|1}}

==External links==

==Appearance and manner==

*[http://www.nndb.com/people/266/000030176 Ville Valo] at Notable Names Database

Bin Laden is often described as lanky &mdash; the [[FBI]] describes him as tall and thin, being 6' 4" (193 cm) to 6' 6" (198 cm) tall and weighing 160 pounds (75 kg). He has an olive complexion, is left-handed and usually walks with a [[cane]]. He wears a plain white [[turban]] and no longer dons the traditional Saudi male headdress.

*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1204517 Ville Valo] at Internet Movie Database

*[http://www.heartagram.com Official website] of [[HIM (band)|HIM]]

*[http://www.sweetville.net Ukrainian HIM website] of [[HIM (band)|HIM]]

*[http://www.himonline.tv UK HIM website] of [[HIM (band)|HIM]]

*[http://community.livejournal.com/valo_daily Valo Daily], Livejournal Community (images of Valo)

{{HIM}}

<!-- Jaundice is NEVER associated with nephrotic disease, unless the kidney disease is new-onset as a result of hepatic failure. This is incompatible with reports, none of them suggesting the presence of liver disease. -->

He reportedly suffers from [[Kidney#Diseases and disorders|kidney disease]] (see below). There has also been speculation in the Western media that he might have [[Marfan syndrome]].[http://dir.salon.com/people/feature/2001/11/09/marfan/index.html]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Valo, Ville}}

==Childhood==

[[Category:1976 births]]

Osama bin Laden was born in [[Riyadh]], [[Saudi Arabia]], to [[Mohammed bin Laden|Muhammad Awad bin Ladin]], a wealthy businessman involved in construction and with close ties to the [[Saudi royal family]]. There is no definitive account of the number of children born to Mohammed bin Laden, but the number is generally put at 54. In addition, various accounts place Osama as his seventeenth son, while others say he was the last of 25 sons.

[[Category:HIM]]

[[Category:Finnish singers]]

[[Category:People from Helsinki]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[bg:Виле Вало]]

The large number of bin Laden siblings is the result of [[polygyny]]; his father was married ten times, although to no more than four women at a time per [[Sharia|Islamic law]]. Osama bin Laden is the only son of the elder bin Laden's tenth wife, Hamida al-Attas, who is reportedly of Syrian descent. A woman who in [[1971]] had attended an English language course with Osama recalled him saying with some sadness that his mother was a [[concubine]][http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1595000/1595205.stm].

[[cs:Ville Valo]]

[[da:Ville Valo]]

His family originally came from [[Hadhramaut]], [[Yemen]] and he was raised as a devout [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]]. After his graduation from secondary school in [[1973]], bin Laden went to [[Beirut]], the capital of [[Lebanon]], and allegedly frequented bars and nightclubs. As a college student, he studied business and project administration. He also earned a [[academic degree|degree]] in [[civil engineering]] from [[King Abdul Aziz University]] in [[Jeddah]] in [[1979]], possibly in preparation for taking over parts of his father's extensive construction and civil engineering business.

[[de:Ville Valo]]

[[es:Ville Valo]]

After his father died, bin Laden inherited what was first estimated to be a fortune of US$300 million; more recent estimates put his holdings at about US$25 million.

[[fr:Ville Valo]]

[[it:Ville Valo]]

In 1974, at the age of 17, bin Laden married his first wife (and first cousin), Najwa Ghanem. Bin Laden reportedly married four other women, divorcing one. He has fathered at least 24 children. Najwa, a Syrian and his mother's niece, reportedly had 11 children by bin Laden, seven of them sons, including Abdallah, Omar, Saad, and Muhammad. Saad, born in 1979, is reportedly active in an Iran-based al-Qaida network. Omar and Abdallah were reportedly organizing the U.S. branch of the World Congress of Muslim Youth in [[Falls Church, Virginia]] during the 1990s.

[[nl:Ville Valo]]

[[ja:ヴィッレ・ヴァロ]]

==Afghan Jihad==

[[no:Ville Valo]]

His wealth and connections permitted him to pursue his interest in supporting the [[mujahideen]], Muslim [[guerrilla]]s fighting the [[Soviet Union]] in [[Afghanistan]] following the [[Soviet invasion of Afghanistan]] in [[1979]]. (''See: the [[History of Afghanistan]].'') By 1984 he had established an organization named [[Maktab al-Khadamat]] (MAK) (''Office of Order'' in [[English language|English]]), which funneled money, arms and Muslim fighters from around the world into the [[Soviet invasion of Afghanistan|Afghan war]].

[[uz:Ville Valo]]

[[pl:Ville Valo]]

MAK was supported by the governments of Pakistan, the [[United States]][http://www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1#BODY] and Saudi Arabia. The three countries channelled their supplies through [[Pakistan]]'s [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] ([[Inter-Services Intelligence |ISI]]).

[[pt:Ville Valo]]

[[ro:Ville Hermanni Valo]]

== Formation of al-Qaeda ==

[[sk:Ville Valo]]

<!--- BBC news suggests al-Qaeda was formed prior to the Afghan Jihad - see

[[sl:Ville Valo]]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1551100.stm -->

[[fi:Ville Valo]]

By [[1988]], bin Laden had split from the MAK and established a new militant group, later dubbed [[al-Qaeda]] by the U.S. government, which included many of the more militant MAK members he had met in Afghanistan. The Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in [[1989]] and bin Laden was lauded as a mujahideen hero in Saudi Arabia. After [[Iraq]] invaded Kuwait in 1990, bin Laden offered to help defend Saudi Arabia but was rebuffed by the Saudi Arabian government. Bin Laden publicly denounced his government's dependence on the U.S. military and demanded an end to the presence of foreign military bases in the country. According to reports (by the [[BBC]] and others), the [[1990]]/[[1991|91]] deployment of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia in connection with the [[Gulf War]] profoundly shocked and revolted bin Laden and other Islamist militants because the Saudi Arabian government claims legitimacy based on their role as guardians of the sacred Muslim cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]]. After the Gulf War, the establishment of permanent bases for non-Muslim U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia continued to undermine the Saudi Arabian rulers' legitimacy and inflamed anti-government Islamist militants, including bin Laden. Bin Laden's increasingly strident criticisms of the Saudi monarchy led the Saudi Arabian government to expel him to [[Sudan]] in 1991.

[[sv:Ville Valo]]

[[tr:Ville Valo]]

Assisted by donations funneled through business and charitable fronts such as [[Benevolence International]] established by his brother-in-law, [[Mohammed Jamal Khalifa]], bin Laden established a new base for mujahideen operations in Sudan to disseminate Islamist philosophy and recruit operatives in [[Southeast Asia]], [[Africa]], [[Europe]], and the [[United States]]. Bin Laden also invested in business ventures, such as al-Hajira, a construction company that built roads throughout Sudan, and Wadi al-Aqiq, an agricultural corporation that farmed hundreds of thousands of acres of [[sorghum]], [[gum arabic]], [[sesame]] and [[sunflower]]s in Sudan's central [[Al Jazirah, Sudan|Gezira]] province. Bin Laden's operations in Sudan were protected by the powerful Sudanese government figure [[Hassan al Turabi]]. The funding from these ventures was used to run several training camps on his farmland, where Islamist militants could receive instruction in firearms use and the use of explosives from former Afghan mujahideen.

Around this time, bin Laden and his associates began developing and executing a series of meticulously-planned terrorist attacks. In 1995, the Saudi Arabian government stripped bin Laden of his citizenship after he claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. and Saudi military bases in [[Riyadh]] and [[Khobar Towers bombing|Dahran]].

Sudanese officials offered to extradite bin Laden to either the United States or Saudi Arabia in the mid-[[1990s]].[http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/4/9/165600.shtml] However, the U.S. had no legal grounds to hold bin Laden and thus refused to accept him; Saudi Arabia refused because of the political difficulties of accepting such a controversial figure into their custody. Thus, in May [[1996]], under increasing pressure from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United States, Sudan expelled bin Laden to [[Afghanistan]]. He chartered a plane and flew to [[Kabul]] before settling in [[Jalalabad, Afghanistan|Jalalabad]]. After spending a few months in the border region hosted by local leaders, bin Laden forged a close relationship with some of the leaders of Afghanistan's new [[Taliban]] government, notably Mullah [[Mohammed Omar]]. Bin Laden supported the Taliban government with financial and paramilitary assistance and, in 1997, he moved to [[Kandahar]], the Taliban stronghold.

Bin Laden is suspected of funding the [[1997]] [[massacre]] of 62 tourists in [[Luxor]], [[Egypt]] conducted by [[Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya]], an Egyptian militant Islamist group. The Egyptian government convicted Bin Laden's colleague, one of the leaders of [[Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya]], Dr. [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]], and [[sentenced to death|sentenced him to death]] [[in absentia]] for the massacre.

==Terrorist attacks on the United States==

Osama bin Laden's first strike against the United States was the [[December 29]], [[1992]] bombing of the Gold Mihor Hotel in [[Aden]], [[Yemen]] that killed a Yemeni hotel employee, an Austrian national and seriously injured his wife. About 100 US soldiers, part of [[Operation Restore Hope]], had been staying at the hotel for two weeks but had left two days earlier for [[Somalia]]. Some sources believe that Osama bin Laden funded and/or directed the [[World Trade Center]] bombing in [[1993]]. Bin Laden and the [[Indonesia]]n militant known as [[Hambali]] allegedly funded the aborted [[Operation Bojinka]] conspiracy until police discovered the plot in [[Manila]], [[Philippines]] on [[January 6]], [[1995]].

In [[1998]], bin Laden and [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] (a leader of [[Egyptian Islamic Jihad]]) co-signed a ''[[fatwa]]'' (binding religious edict) in the name of the [[World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders]], declaring, "The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies &ndash; civilians and military &ndash; is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the [[al-Aqsa Mosque]] (in [[Jerusalem]]) and the holy mosque (in [[Makka]]) from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty [[Allah]], 'and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together,' and 'fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah.'" For more information, see [http://www.ict.org.il/articles/fatwah.htm Osama bin Laden Fatwa.]

Bin Laden is officially wanted by the United States in connection with the [[August 7]], [[1998 U.S. embassy bombings|1998 bombings of the United States embassies]] in [[Dar es Salaam]], [[Tanzania]] and [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]], that killed 225 people and injured more than 4000. Since June 1999, bin Laden has been listed as one of the [[FBI ten most wanted fugitives|FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives]] and [[FBI Most Wanted Terrorists]]. Al-Qaida was allegedly involved in several unsuccessful conspiracies, including the [[2000 millennium attack plots]] to bomb Los Angeles airport, several tourist sites in [[Jordan]] and the [[USS The Sullivans (DDG-68)|USS The Sullivans]], and well as the subsequent [[Paris embassy terrorist attack plot]]. The al-Qaida organization was allegedly responsible for the successful [[USS Cole bombing]] in October, 2000.

In response to these attacks, President [[Bill Clinton]] ordered a freeze on assets linked to bin Laden. Clinton also signed an [[executive order]] authorizing bin Laden's arrest or [[assassination]]. In August [[1998]], the U.S. military launched an assassination attempt using cruise missiles. The attack failed to harm bin Laden but killed 19 other people. The U.S. offered a US$25 million reward for information leading to bin Laden's apprehension or conviction and, in [[1999]], convinced the [[United Nations]] to impose sanctions against [[Afghanistan]] in an attempt to force the Taliban to extradite him.

==Osama and the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks==

Immediately after the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack]]s in the [[United States]], the United States government named bin Laden as the prime suspect. At first he denied this accusation, suggesting the attacks were the fault of Jews or of the CIA. But in subsequent statements and interviews he expressed admiration for whoever was responsible. He took credit for "inspiring" what he calls the "blessed attacks" of September 11th in several public statements.

In December [[2001]] U.S. forces in [[Afghanistan]] captured a videotape during a raid on a house in [[Jalalabad, Afghanistan|Jalalabad]], in which a man who looks like bin Laden is seen and heard discussing the September 11 attacks with a group of followers. According to the official U.S. [[translation]] of this tape&mdash;which has been disputed&mdash;bin Laden says:

:''We calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy, who would be killed based on the position of the tower. We calculated that the floors that would be hit would be three or four floors. I was the most optimistic of them all.'' (...Inaudible...) ''Due to my experience in this field, I was thinking that the fire from the gas in the plane would melt the iron structure of the building and collapse the area where the plane hit and all the floors above it only. This is all that we had hoped for. '' ([http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/12/13/tape.transcript/ full text of the tape transcript)]

In December 2001 there was disagreement whether the tape should be released or not. Some in the Bush Administration believed the tape would provide decisive evidence for bin Laden's involvement in the September 11th attacks; others feared there would be allegations that the tape was fabricated, taking into account the poor quality of the tape. The tape was finally released on [[December 13]]. The next day, the Pakistani political party JUI claimed that the tape was doctored, the photographic quality of the video being so low that a fake bin Laden would be indistinguishable. Others claimed that the video could have been doctored using digital technology and computers.

In January [[2002]] [[CNN]] reported that the U.S. spread leaflets of doctored photographs of ''Osama bin Laden'' in Afghanistan, portraying him shaved and in western clothing, aiming to lead the Al-Qaida fighters to believe that bin Laden had deserted them.[http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/04/ret.bin.laden.leaflets/] Some argued that if the U.S. was willing to fabricate photographs to achieve their goals then they would probably also be willing to fabricate videos. [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]], when asked ''"...whether the leaflet could be used by some to say the United States is willing to doctor or make up things -- as has been alleged about the videotape found in Afghanistan by the United States..."'' (quoting the above cited article), he is reported to have replied that he had not thought about the possibility.

In January 2002 a [[Germany|German]] expert in Middle Eastern studies, Gernot Rotter, as well as two other independent translators of Arabic, reported on German television (ARD) and in the newspapers [[Netzeitung]] and [[Der Spiegel]] that several serious mistakes could be found in the official American translation of the tape.

Several other videotapes have surfaced in the media (11.11.01 Sunday Times / [[Al-Jazeera]] 26.12.02 / 04.02 Al-Jazeera/AP / Sunday Times 19.05.02 / 09.02 Al-Jazeera etc). The video found in [[Jalalabad, Afghanistan|Jalalabad]] in December 2001 is still the most often cited as evidence for bin Laden's participation, suggesting that this video presents the strongest case for a bin Laden involvement in the September 11th attacks.

As early as October 2001, the U.S. presented evidence to [[NATO]], behind closed doors, of bin Laden's involvement in the September 11 attacks. NATO's general secretary [[George Robertson]] reported to AP that the U.S. had presented clear and decisive evidence of bin Laden's participation, causing him to invoke article 5 in the NATO pact. The evidence presented to NATO was never presented to the public; according to American officials, the reason for this was fears that terrorists might find out secrets about American intelligence. The nature of this evidence thus remains uncertain. The U.S. -- because of its unwillingness to show the evidence that NATO found so compelling -- has had to resort to low quality videos (like the 2001 Jalalabad video) when presenting evidence to the public.

If this tape is authentic and its transcripts correctly translated, it shows at the very least that bin Laden claimed to some that he had advance knowledge of the attacks on the [[World Trade Center]], including the precise nature of the attacks. One leading al-Qaida member, [[Khalid Shaikh Mohammed]], claims (according to his interrogators) that the idea for the attacks came from him and not from bin Laden. Khalid has been in United States custody since September [[2003]]. The extent to which bin Laden was involved in funding or overseeing the operation is unknown. [[FBI]]'s most wanted poster of bin Laden only makes reference to bin Laden being sought for pre-September 11 terrorist activity.

Nevertheless, bin Laden has publicly praised the September 11 attacks in several instances and has taken credit for being their "inspiration." It is clear in many of his public statements that he views himself as an active participant in the attacks, whether or not he deserves the credit the West gives him as their "mastermind." A good example is this passage from his October 2001 interview with Al-Jazeera:

:''As for the World Trade Center, the ones who were attacked and who died in it were a financial power. It wasn't a children's school! And it wasn't a residence. And the general consensus is that most of the people who were in there were men that backed the biggest financial force in the world that spreads worldwide mischief [ta`ithu fil ardi fasaadaa]. And those individuals should stand for Allah, and to re-think and re-do their calculations. We treat others like they treat us. Those who kill our women and our innocent, we kill their women and innocent, until they stop from doing so.[http://www.religioscope.com/info/doc/jihad/ubl_int_1.htm]''

In October of 2004, a videotape was released of Bin Laden directly admitting that he had ordered the September 11 attacks:

:''...as I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy towers in America in order that they taste some of what we tasted and so that they be deterred from killing our women and children.''

[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/79C6AF22-98FB-4A1C-B21F-2BC36E87F61F.htm]

==Current status==

As of May 2005, Osama bin Laden's ___location is unknown. After the September 11 attacks, the United States asked the [[Taliban]] government of Afghanistan to "hand him over." The Taliban counter-offer to try bin Laden in an Islamic court or extradite him to a third-party country was deemed unacceptable by the U.S. government. The [[U.S. invasion of Afghanistan]] resulted in the death or arrest of numerous militiamen, but bin Laden was not found. In September 2003, a videotape of [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] and bin Laden, accompanied by an audiotape, were released to the al-Jazeera network in Qatar, purporting to prove that both men are still alive. Bin Laden appeared in a mountainous region wearing traditional Pathan attire. The date of the videotape recording could not be ascertained.

There had been suggestions that bin Laden was killed or fatally injured during U.S. bombardments, most notably near Tora Bora, Afghanistan, or that he may have died of natural causes. The U.S. military had reported that bin Laden suffered from a kidney disorder requiring him to have access to advanced medical facilities, possibly [[kidney dialysis]]. Ayman al-Zawahiri, also an FBI Most Wanted Terrorist, is a physician and may have provided medical care to bin Laden. Although Osama has been publicly disowned by his family, an estranged family member, Carmen Binladin, speculates (without providing evidence) that unnamed family members may be providing financial support to Osama bin Laden.

A Spanish court indicted bin Laden and 34 others on charges related to terrorism on [[September 17]], [[2003]].

Rumours about his whereabouts have appeared from time to time since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan but none have been confirmed.

On [[October 21]], [[2004]], [[John Lehman]], a member of the [[9/11 Commission]], reported that bin Laden was indeed alive, and that [[the Pentagon]] knew exactly where he was. According to Lehman, bin Laden was living in South Waziristan in the [[Toba Kakar Range|Toba Kakar Mountains]] of the [[Baluchistan]] region, surviving from donations from outside countries such as the [[United Arab Emirates]] and high-ranking ministers inside [[Saudi Arabia]]. "There is an American presence in the area, but we can't just send in troops," Lehman said. "If we did, we could have another Vietnam, and the United States cannot afford that right now."[http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/dailystar/44654.php]

On [[October 29]], [[2004]], the Arab television network [[Al Jazeera]] broadcast a video tape of bin Laden addressing citizens of the [[United States]], discussing the reasons behind the [[September 11, 2001]] attacks. This release came just four days before the [[2004 U.S. presidential election]]. See [[2004 bin Laden video]]

==See also==

*[[Terrorist incidents]]

*[[Videos of bin Laden]]

*[[Worldwide perception of Osama bin Laden]]

*[[Osama bin Laden's Declaration of War]]

*[[Osama tapes]]

*[[Steven Emerson]]

==External links==

{{wikiquote}}

===News===

*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3966817.stm BBC:Transcript of Osama bin Laden video aired by al-Jazeera]

*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1551100.stm Who is Osama bin Laden?] BBC report

*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3570751.stm BBC News: 'I met Osama bin Laden'] - March 26, 2004 - a short profile of bin Laden's life

*[http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm Fatwa from World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and Crusaders] - Statement from bin Laden, 23 February 1998

===Interviews===

*[http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/binladen/binladenintvw-cnn.pdf Transcript of interview by CNN] (PDF file) - Correspondent [[Peter Arnett]] (March 20, 1997). The interview was first broadcast on [[CNN]] on May 10, 1997. This was Osama bin Ladin's first sit-down with a Western TV journalist.

*[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/who/interview.html Interview with Osama bin Laden] - Questions partly by some of his followers and partly by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] reporter [[John Miller (journalist)|John Miller]], (May 1998)

*[http://www.americanfreepress.net/Mideast/Al-Qaeda_Not_Involved/al-qaeda_not_involved.html Alleged interview] - Transcription from Pakistani Newspaper of questions answered via written correspondence with the Taliban, who supposedly passed them to bin Laden

*[http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990111/osama1.html Interview printed in the January 11, 1999 issue of] [[Time Magazine]]

===Other===

*[http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/1998/32/1998_20232.asp Interpol Profile]

*[http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/terubl.htm FBI's Usama bin Laden "Most Wanted Terrorists" poster]

*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1551100.stm BBC News profile]

*[http://www.propagandamatrix.com/bin_laden_comes_home_to_roost.html Bin Laden comes home to roost] - By Michael Moran, MSNBC, August 24, 1998. Alleges a CIA/bin Laden relationship

*[http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO109C.html Who Is Osama bin Laden?] - By [[Michel Chossudovsky]]

*[http://europe.cnn.com/2001/LAW/02/21/embassy.bombing/ CNN story about the interview]

*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1595000/1595205.stm Picture of bin Ladin and two brothers on a visit to Oxford in 1971] - Story on BBC News

*[http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=11&ItemID=2463 $US 40 billion sponsorship of islamic fundamentalist training program - Carter + Brzezinski]

*[http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/a_binladen.htm Summary of medical information, mostly speculative]

*[http://cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/02/binladen.wealth.ap/ Bin Laden's wealth not the force behind 9/11] ([[Associated Press|AP]]/[[CNN]])

*[http://us.imdb.com/name/nm1136915/ Osama bin Laden] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]

*Coll, Steve (2004), ''Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001'', Penguin Press; ISBN 1594200076

*Emerson, S. (2002), ''American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us'', Free Press; ISBN 0743233247

[[Category:1957 births|Bin Laden, Osama]]

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[[Category:Sunni Muslims|Bin Laden, Osama]]

[[Category:War on terror|Bin Laden, Osama]]

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