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NewsMine 9-11 binladen after-death-in-dec-2001 support-iraq-tape-feb03 Viewing Item | Afghan general fake tape Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030212/ts_nm/afghan_binladen_dc_1"McNeill said the tape seemed to be similar to an audio recording broadcast in November also said to be from bin Laden. U.S. officials said at the time it was almost certainly genuine but Swiss experts later questioned this."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030212/ts_nm/afghan_binladen_dc_1
Yahoo! News Wed, Feb 12, 2003
U.S. Afghan General Says Bin Laden Tape Not Proof 1 hour, 55 minutes ago Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Angie Ramos
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The U.S. general leading the hunt for Taliban and al Qaeda fugitives in Afghanistan (news - web sites) said Wednesday that an audio tape purported to be from Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) did not prove he was still alive.
U.S. officials have said an audio tape broadcast on the Qatar-based al-Jazeera network Tuesday was probably genuine and that it suggested a link between Iraq and bin Laden's al Qaeda network.
The taped message urged Muslims to fight the United States and repel any war against Iraq -- but also lashed out at Baghdad's leaders as "infidels."
But Lt. Gen. Dan McNeill, who is leading about coalition 13,000 troops in the hunt for bin Laden, other members of the al Qaeda network and the former Taliban regime that gave it shelter, was not convinced.
"So I stand by what I normally say: this to me is still not compelling evidence that he is alive or dead," he told Reuters at the coalition headquarters at Bagram, north of Kabul.
The United States accuses al Qaeda of carrying out the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide attacks on the United States and has used its allegations of a link between that group and Iraq to strengthen its case against Iraq.
The audio statement urged Muslims to back the Iraqi people and warned Arab leaders not to support the war against Iraq.
"We are following with great concern the preparations of the crusaders to launch war on the former capital of Muslims," the statement said. "Fight these despots."
McNeill said the tape seemed to be similar to an audio recording broadcast in November also said to be from bin Laden. U.S. officials said at the time it was almost certainly genuine but Swiss experts later questioned this.
Military officials believe al Qaeda and Taliban fighters who survived the coalition bombing in 2001 dispersed into small groups in eastern and southern Afghanistan and across the border into Pakistan.
In recent months, there has been an increase in attacks in southern Afghanistan by groups believed to be linked to the Taliban and renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
McNeill said the tape calling Muslims to arms would have no impact on operations in Afghanistan.
"We are winning this thing, we are going to win it whatever he might utter. It causes me no great concern," he said.
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