Alleged new Osama bin Laden tape surfaces

This one appears to be a little less coldly rational than Osama's usual fare. He makes references to recent events, so it seems that he's still alive. But it looks like Fidel Castro is writing his talking points these days: The rambling transcript also mentions French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which suggests the tape was made ...

This one appears to be a little less coldly rational than Osama's usual fare. He makes references to recent events, so it seems that he's still alive. But it looks like Fidel Castro is writing his talking points these days:

This one appears to be a little less coldly rational than Osama's usual fare. He makes references to recent events, so it seems that he's still alive. But it looks like Fidel Castro is writing his talking points these days:

The rambling transcript also mentions French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which suggests the tape was made after Sarkozy's election in May.

Bin Laden comes close to offering a date for the tape with this by saying, "… just a few days ago, the Japanese observed the 62nd anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by your nuclear weapons."  The anniversary was on August 6.

He goes on to call Noam Chomsky "among one of the most capable of those from your own side," and mentions global warming and "the Kyoto accord."

He also speaks to recent issues grabbing headlines in the United States, referring to "the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages; global warming and its woes…"

"To conclude," bin Laden says, "I invite you to embrace Islam."  He goes on to say:  "There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakaat [alms] totaling 2.5 percent.”

The full transcript (pdf) is here. 

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