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Source:
Bin Laden happy over deadly strikes in U.S., but denies his involvement
Associated
Press
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan - Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden congratulated the people
who carried out the deadly terrorist strikes in the United States,
but denied today that he was involved, a Palestinian journalist
said.
"Osama
bin Laden thanked Almighty Allah and bowed before him when he heard
this news," Jamal Ismail, Abu Dhabi Television's bureau chief
in Islamabad, said, quoting a close aide of bin Laden's. Ismail
said the aide, whom he wouldn't identify by name, called him early
Wednesday on a satellite telephone from a hide-out in Afghanistan.
Bin
Laden praised the people who carried out the attacks in Washington
and New York, Ismail said, quoting the aide. "But he had no
information or knowledge about the attack" ahead of time, Ismail
said.
The
journalist has long-standing ties with Bin Laden and has won rare
interviews with him several times over the last few years.
In
a series of coordinated attacks Tuesday, terrorists crashed two
airlines into the World Trade Center in New York, and a third plane
slammed into the Pentagon in Washington. A fourth one crashed in
Pennsylvania.
Bin
Laden is a key suspect in the bombing of two U.S. embassies in East
Africa in August 1998 that killed 224 people, including 12 U.S.
citizens.
Washington
wants bin Laden to be tried for the bombing, but Afghanistan's ruling
Taliban militia rulers have refused to hand him over, despite tough
U.N. sanctions against the Taliban.
The
Taliban government calls bin Laden their guest and a hero of Islam.
The
aide said that bin Laden has described the devastation in the United
States as "a punishment from Allah," Ismail said. The
United States had invited Allah's wrath because it is trying to
control the entire world by force, Ismail said, quoting the aide.
"There
are thousands of Muslims who have vowed for jehad (or a holy war)
and martyrdom," according to bin Laden's aide. "They have
experience to fight with all sorts of weapons."
The
aide also denied reports of bin Laden's deteriorating health, according
to Ismail, saying: "These are all false reports. He is well
and strong."
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