Terrorist tape underwhelms
ABC News and other outlets, including FoxNews, have aired portions of the videotape in which an American member of al Qaeda, speaking in English, threatened destruction on America that would dwarf Sept. 11, 2001. ABC News reported,

A man describing himself as an American member of al Qaeda says a new wave of terror attacks against the United States could come "at any moment," according to a videotape obtained by ABC News.

FoxNews claimed to have obtained a copy of the tape independently from ABC.

I saw the excerpt that Fox broadcast, and it was a real snoozer. "Azzam the American," as the hooded figure called himself, might as well have been narrating a chess match. No fire and brimstone, no passion, no intensity. I've heard people order lunch at a McDonalds drive-thru with more energy.

While this tape may well have its source in al Qaeda, my opinion is that it was an audition tape or a practice tape. I think that if it was actually intended for release it would have been handed over to the usual Arab-media suspects such as al Jazeera, which has faithfully served as the repository of beheading videotapes. If Azzam's somnolent speech really had been intended for American audiences, surely it would have gone through the well-established channels.

More than ever, I am convinced that there is nothing behind this tape. At worst, it's an exercise of fantasy ideology, a sort of "Gee, wouldn't it be nice."

by Donald Sensing, 10/28/2004 07:31:15 PM. Permalink |