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Osama bin Laden "confession video" unplugged

September 21, 2006 - On December 13, 2001 the United States Department of Defense issued Press Release No. 630-01 to accompany the U.S. government's release of the Osama bin Laden "confession video". Here is the exact text of the Department of Defense press release:

U.S. RELEASES VIDEOTAPE OF OSAMA BIN LADEN

The U.S. government released today a copy of a videotape of Osama bin Laden obtained by U.S. forces in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in late November.

The video was filmed by unknown persons.

"There was no doubt of bin Laden's responsibility for the September 11 attacks before the tape was discovered," said Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.

The release of the tape was made after balancing the concerns about any additional pain that could be caused by its release against the value of having the world fully appreciate what we are up against in the war against terrorism.

The tape was released with an English translation and English subtitling, prepared independently by George Michael, translator, Diplomatic Language Services; and Dr. Kassem M. Wahba, Arabic language program coordinator, School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University. They collaborated on their translation and compared it with translations done by the U.S. government for consistency. There were no inconsistencies in translations.

The English translation is on the Web at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2001/d20011213ubl.pdf.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2001/b12132001_bt630-01.html

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It is important to note that in the preface of the U.S. government transcript of the videotape the government contends:

In mid-November, Usama Bin Laden spoke to a room of supporters, possibly in Qandahar, Afghanistan. These comments were video taped with the knowledge of Bin Laden and all present.

Please note: The assertion by the U.S. government that the bin Laden confession occurred in mid-November 2001 is a critical element of this analysis. Also, the fact that the U.S. government found it prudent, or even relevant; to make the statement, "These comments were videotaped with the knowledge of Bin Laden and all present" is peculiar. How did the U.S. government reach this conclusion when the video evidence suggests something else - that Osama Bin Laden was uncharacteristically neutral to the camera that was videotaping him, or that he was completely unaware of the camera's presence? Never during the guesthouse sections of the videotape, the confession segments, does Osama bin Laden address the camera.

On July 18, 2006 the United States Department of Defense received an amended Freedom of Information Act request made to it by the Muckraker Report. In this Muckraker Report FOIA request, the Department of Defense was asked to provide documents "related to the discovery of the December 13, 2001 Osama bin Laden video"; "that demonstrate chain of custody of the December 13, 2001 Osama bin Laden video from the time it was discovered in Afghanistan until it was released for media consumption"; "that reflect the purchase order and contract made by the U.S. government with George Michael, Diplomatic Language Services, and Dr. Kassem M. Wahba, Arabic language program coordinator, School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University"; that demonstrate the authenticity process that the U.S. government undertook to authenticate the December 13, 2001 Osama bin Laden video"; and "that demonstrate the outcome of the U.S. government's authenticity process."

On Wednesday, September 13, 2006 the Muckraker Report received a response from the Department of Defense. Remember, the Department of Defense issued the press release that accompanied the release of this videotape. It also is the Department in the direct chain of command of the U.S. forces that allegedly obtained the videotape in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in late November 2001. This is the official response from the Department of Defense:

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs conducted a search of its files and located no records responsive to your request.

Please note that the Department of Defense is now on record as saying that it conducted a search of its files and located no records responsive to the Muckraker Report's FOIA request to document the circumstances, logistics and dates surrounding the discovery of the videotape, nor has the Department of Defense located records demonstrating the authenticity process and authenticity of the December 13, 2001 Osama bin Laden "confession video" - a video that the U.S. government used to fully solidify already strong American support for the invasion of Afghanistan that began 68 days prior to the video's release.

However, gaining a taped confession of Osama bin Laden wasn't necessary to win support in the United States. Bush already had a major majority of the American people's devotion during this time period. At home, the video only reinforced public support for the Bush Administration. It was in many other parts of the world where skepticism was found to be persisting. Remember the language used in Press Release 630-01: "The release of the tape was made after balancing the concerns about any additional pain that could be caused by its release against the value of having the world fully appreciate what we are up against in the war against terrorism."

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