Al-Qaida senior leader grants rare TV interview ( Calls for destruction of Pakistan Government)

MSNBC ^ | Monday, July 21, 2008 4:10 PM ET | Carol Grisanti and Robert Windrem, NBC News

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

n a rare move, one of al-Qaida's highest-ranking leaders has conducted an on-camera interview with a journalist and, in the process, called for the destruction of Pakistan's government.

It was the first time since 2002 that any top al-Qaida official has taken the security risk of sitting down for an interview with a bonafide journalist.

Abu Mustafa al-Yazid, an Egyptian whom U.S. intelligence officials have identified as the al-Qaeda's third highest-ranking official, sat for an interview with Najeeb Ahmad, a reporter for Geo TV. Geo TV is a private Pakistani television channel. 

In the interview, Yazid, also known as Sheikh Saeed, called for the destruction of Pakistan's government which he said had "betrayed" the jihadis. Yazid swore that al-Qaida would recapture Afghanistan. And he reiterated al-Qaida's position that "all Americans, not just the American government" are the enemies of Islam.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

H/T to the JAWA Report:

Al-Qaida senior leader grants rare TV interview

*****************************EXCERPT********************

Why would they risk his operational security to issue a boilerplate "the Pakistan government betrayed us" message to the masses. What else is going on here...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[yldstrk]

Ain’t that special

[Helotes]

Being No. 3 isn’t that lucky”

Unlucky Number 3:
Since 2001, the U.S. has killed or captured five of the terror group’s Number 3s

[blam]

"And he reiterated al-Qaida's position that "all Americans, not just the American government" are the enemies of Islam."

Translation: Kill the women and babies too.

[SE Mom]

How odd. Wonder what’s up...

It’s all so murky.

[kristinn]

Voice of America is the only other news outlet to report on this interview:

Pakistani television network has broadcast a rare interview with the top al-Qaida commander in Afghanistan. From Islamabad, Barry Newhouse reports Geo News says its interview with Mustafa Abu Yazid, an Egyptian, took place a few days ago in Afghanistan's eastern Khost Province.

Abu Mustafa al-Yazid is believed to be al-Qaida's third highest ranking leader, behind Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden. The official U.S. government investigation of the September 11 terrorist attacks named Yazid as the terrorist group's chief financial manager at the time of the attacks.

Last year, he was named head of al-Qaida's operations in Afghanistan and since then has claimed credit for a wave of deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In an exclusive interview with a Geo reporter that was broadcast late Monday, al-Yazid said the group gets support from tribal areas of Pakistan. His remarks in Arabic were dubbed into Urdu in the broadcast.

He gave thanks that the group is receiving assistance from the tribal areas. He then urged all Pakistanis to support the effort as part of their religious duty.

Afghan officials and U.S. commanders have long argued that Pakistan's tribal areas along the Afghan border are a haven for al-Qaida and Taliban militants as well as a support base for the insurgency in Afghanistan.

Afghan officials have also accused parts of Pakistan's army and intelligence agencies of secretly supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan. Al-Yazid says no country supports the group and in fact the Pakistani government has caused more damage to al-Qaida than any other.

He said the government of Pervez Musharraf betrayed the Islamist fighters in Afghanistan when it sided with the United States.

Al-Yazid also repeated claims that al-Qaida was behind the June bombing of the Danish Embassy in Islamabad. He claimed the bomber was from Mecca and originally wanted to fight in Afghanistan or Kashmir, but later decided to attack the Danish Embassy to retaliate for Danish cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammed.

[kristinn]

Looks like this got Barryed by Obamamania. Even the blogs were slow to pick this up.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Heck, being number 3 in al Qaeda is as dangerous as being the drummer in a rock band.

[SE Mom]

And he reiterated al-Qaida’s position that “all Americans, not just the American government” are the enemies of Islam.

...

This is not a nuanced, oblique statement. It’s a declaration.

Unless you’re liberal and in the words of one of the posters replying to this at MSNBC, who believes:

“We need some seriously pursued parallel paths - economic development, women’s right, co-opt negotiations, etc. or this will never end.”

[Jabba the Nutt]

Well, what's happening is that the Pakistani government is shutting a blind eye to US special forces going deep re-con into Pakistan and shooting across the border into Pakistan. The Pak government has tried numerous "truces" with the tribes,with the Jihadis in the frontier provinces and they have all failed. So, al Qaeda is warning the Pak government to stop attacking them. Of course, they only make such a warning when the attacks are having an effect.

Let's hope the threat of al Qaeda to the Pak government will finally move them to decide to join with the US and enforce their writ in the tribal areas.

[BOBTHENAILER]

It ain’t easy being Number 3:

Since 2001, the U.S. has killed or captured five of the terror group’s Number 3s:

—In November 2001, U.S. fighter jets bombed the hideout of Mohammed Atef in Kabul, killing him.

—In February 2002, CIA and Pakistani intelligence officials captured Abu Zubaydah in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad, following a gunfight in which Zubaydah was severely wounded.

—In March 2003, CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers captured Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a house in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

—In May 2005, Pakistan intelligence officers captured Abu Faraj al-Libi as he rode a motorbike through a cemetery in the Pakistani city of Mardan. (Haithem al-Yemeni, a potential successor to al-Libi, was killed by a Predator in Pakistan near the Afghanistan border a week later).

—In December 2005, Hamza Rabia, Abu Faraj’s successor, was killed in a Predator attack in the village of Asorai, in western Pakistan near the town of Mirali.

[Cindy]

OPINION: It could be the info was/is being analyzed.

[SERKIT]

Well let’s just send Barry over there for a little chat. He’s magical! He’ll convince them to change through hope in the future, because we all hope for change in the future, ‘cause it’s change, I think, um, uh.

[08bil98z24]

He gave thanks that the group is receiving assistance from the tribal areas. He then urged all Pakistanis to support the effort as part of their religious duty.

Problem #1 with the war in Afghanistan ... unlimited support from the tribal regions ...

He said the government of Pervez Musharraf betrayed the Islamist fighters in Afghanistan when it sided with the United States.

Which is why we need Musharraf back in total power ... or need to take action on our own ... I'd prefer the former ... but the later would do. However ones opinion is about Musharraf, he did help us a lot in capturing a bunch of the early (original) members of al-Qaida. They (Ragheads in the Taliban and al-Qaida) tried to kill him several times ...

He is our ally, others in the intelligence field were not our allies, and the new civilian government is definitely not our friends ... Some of them still tend to blame Musharraf for Bhutto's death ... that is the mentality of those in the civilian government ... almost as bad as our liberal politicians. Musharraf at least attempted a solution, and IMO if he still had all his power ... he would at least be applying pressure to the insurgents again ....

Instead, from the current government of Pakistan we get shows of force followed by 1-sided peace agreements ...

Maybe with our new CentCom commander, a solution might come about ... he definitely understands an insurgency.

[weegee]

“Who is Number 2?”

[kristinn]

I’m sure it is, but al Qaeda tapes are heralded in the media as breaking news. This first in five years interview is buried while Obama is on his big adventure.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I’m sure it is, but al Qaeda tapes are heralded in the media as breaking news. This first in five years interview is buried while Obama is on his big adventure.

Well,...now that we have won in Iraq ...the Media isn't as concerned about our National Security...

Uh...wait...didn't Obama say that Iraq wasn't the Major Front in the war on Al-Queda...?

Where is the Major Front?

And this interview was in Afghanistan....

I thought the Media was watching out for our Secuity....!

/Major Sarcasm...

[Fred Nerks]

Obama would agree with him. Both want an islamic take-over in Pakistan.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See #18.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

News from that area....thanks for the Freeper notes.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Obama the Magical N....

[Southack]

Sounds like a “get thee to a Paki tribal area” message, to me. In other words, flee Iraq to save yourselves.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hmmm...thought they had good internet communications....but maybe he is saying ...the New Caliphate is Afghanistan....and Pakistan...

[maine-iac7]

This smells like a giant smoke screen for who the heck knows what...

Wouldn't be surprised if there's hidden messages between the lines.

Whatever it is - it doesn't bode well.

(I started reading the comments on the news site and had to stop. Most of them are so ignorant of what these people are about - and have been for centuries - that it's frightening.
As far as they're concerned, everything is ‘the administrations fault’, starting with 9/11, totally ignoring all the previous attacks on us...

They are at a loss to understand the Cretan saying “all Americans.” They've evidently been under the impression that it's just the evil Bush they hate. I can double guarantee that if you asked any one of them:"What about the Caliphate they are intent on reestablishing?" you'd get a blank stare. Or try to explain to them that they are Infidels to al-Qaida, therefore to be killed.

Overload - Time for a cup of chamomile and honey and bed...)

[PhilDragoo]

It ain’t easy being Number 3:

Since 2001, the U.S. has killed or captured five of the terror group’s Number 3s:

—In November 2001, U.S. fighter jets bombed the hideout of Mohammed Atef in Kabul, killing him.

—In February 2002, CIA and Pakistani intelligence officials captured Abu Zubaydah in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad, following a gunfight in which Zubaydah was severely wounded.

—In March 2003, CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers captured Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a house in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

—In May 2005, Pakistan intelligence officers captured Abu Faraj al-Libi as he rode a motorbike through a cemetery in the Pakistani city of Mardan. (Haithem al-Yemeni, a potential successor to al-Libi, was killed by a Predator in Pakistan near the Afghanistan border a week later).

—In December 2005, Hamza Rabia, Abu Faraj’s successor, was killed in a Predator attack in the village of Asorai, in western Pakistan near the town of Mirali.

[Cindy]

“...interview is buried...”

I agree it was buried in the main-stream media.

Thank God for FR and TM.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL....Excellent!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See #26.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Ernest. Of course, this assumes that there *is* a gov’t of Pakistan. ;’)

[MeekOneGOP]

In the interview, Yazid, also known as Sheikh Saeed, called for the destruction of Pakistan's government which he said had "betrayed" the jihadis. Yazid swore that al-Qaida would recapture Afghanistan. And he reiterated al-Qaida's position that "all Americans, not just the American government" are the enemies of Islam.

- - - - - - - - - -

For some reason, Bush's comment years ago comes to mind!

BRING IT ON !!!!

[BOBTHENAILER]

A superb job....thanks!!!!!

[G8 Diplomat]

Don’t forget Abu Laith al-Libi, the most recent #3 whom we just killed

[BOBTHENAILER]

Don’t forget Abu Laith al-Libi, the most recent #3 whom we just killed

So many threes....so little time

Thanks G8, I wouldn't want to keep al-Libi from his rightful place in the hall of shame, disgust and eternal flame.

[Marine_Uncle]

Perhaps the L/MSM have to brush up their skill set a bit./sarc
There has to be a lot of worried goons roaming about A and P. They realize they are now approaching the status Iraq has had.
Lots of air strikes and special forces operations are heading their way, and there is a not a lot they can do but try to sneak about their hiding holes for the rest of their lives.
It sure would be nice to see GWB's term end with the capture of number two and one. Throw in this number three for icing on the cake.

[Marine_Uncle]

ROLF.