Ramadan 20, 1430 A.H, September 11, 2009
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
Ansar al-Mujahideen English Forum
The English Transcript of
As-Sahab Foundation For Media Production Release:
"The Manhattan Raid"
Knowledge is for Acting Upon (2006)
English Transcript
"The sacred
month is for the sacred month, and for the prohibited things, there is the Law
of Equality (Qisâs). Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you,
you transgress likewise against him."
(Al-Baqarah 2:194)
The brother pilots continued their preparation in complete calm deep inside America, disregarding the huge media ruckus surrounding American security and intelligence capabilities whose noise filled the world. And the brother pilots taught the youth of the Ummah a powerful lesson in sacrifice, courage, certainty in Allah's victory, and true reliance on Him. And they reined in the mouths of those who rant that those who undertake martyrdom operations are unemployed, empty failures in life. These brothers abandoned a life of luxury and ease after the world had opened its doors to them, and they bought what Allah has. We consider them to be so and Allah is their Reckoner.
[ Brother Azzam the American ]
All the brothers who took part in the raids on America were dedicated, strong willed, highly-motivated individuals with a burning concern for Islam and Muslims and they had to be chosen for such a difficult mission; they were definitely not failures looking for a way out, look at the pilots - Muhammad Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi, Ziad al-Jarrah, and Hani Hanjour - all of them had lived and studied in the West. All of them had the world within their reach if they wanted it. But how could they live with themselves if they were to enjoy this worldly life while their Ummah burns?
[ Narrator ]
The visits of the Mujahid Shaykh Abu Abdullah to the training camps continued, in order to select the strike force for the Blessed Tuesday attack and other elements for carrying out martyrdom operations subsequent to it, with Allah's permission.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
Some people think that the issue is training only. One of them will say, "I already know this!" Even if you know it, take it again. But there are other purposes: the elements must get to know one another, because this Jihad doesn't rest on one person. The members of the squadron must know one another in order to build confidence between them. And the instructor must acquaint himself and write the reports - which, in the end, reach me - that this brother was patient, showed endurance, was well-mannered and tolerant, and so on. This one is a candidate for martyrdom operations abroad, whereas one whose temper is short and patient thin won't be able to bear up on the outside. And we can only know that from here.
Your brother in Nairobi spent nine months in an apartment while their brothers smuggled them the TNT and they pounded it. Can you be that patient? You aren't patient with us here two hours, so how can we send you there for nine months? A lot of things stem from the time you spend here, and your reward is there if you intend to emigrate, prepare and perform Ribat. So for Allah is all praise.
[ Narrator ]
And Allah chose from among the candidates for participation in the martyrdom operations a group of unique heroes to be the young strong-arms who would take control of the planes until the moment of impact. Their only weapons, after their certainty in Allah and reliance on Him, was nothing but blades which people use to cut paper and open packages.
The heroes of the raids received their intensive training at the hands of the martyr Abu Turab the Jordanian, who had the honor to take part in the previous Afghan Jihad. The knights of the two raids received at the hands of their instructor numerous martial arts. They trained in how to deal with security forces and the clandestine guards inside the plane, and learned how to take over the navigation cabin, enable the pilots to fly the planes towards the targets, and ensure protection for them until the moment when the aircraft crash into their targets.
Tighten
your blood in your veins and rise up
And don't be afraid if you're going to glory
Tighten your blood in your veins and rise up
And don't be afraid if you're going to glory
Don't talk or hesitate or suppose
Just wage Jihad and your courage will be
strong, with Allah's help
Don't talk or hesitate or suppose
Just wage Jihad and your courage will be
strong, with Allah's help
The visits of the Mujahid Shaykh Abu Abdullah to the training camps continued to encourage the youth to sacrifice themselves cheaply in the path of Allah and to motivate them to join the caravan of the knights of the martyrdom operations. The champions competed in this arena and the lovers thronged doors which had been thrown wide open to them. And all of them answered the call of Allah obediently and expectantly.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
So talk yourselves into martyrdom operations. Encourage yourselves a lot. In the beginning, you won't be used to the idea, and you'll think it's a difficult thing. But you only came here because in your heart is love of Allah and love of His Messenger, peace be upon him. We consider you to be so and we don't exonerate anyone before Allah. So talk to yourself, because to the same degree that the number of young men who carry out martyrdom operations increases, the time of victory gets closer, with Allah's permission.
[ Narrator ]
So the heroes knew the virtue of the work which they were to embark on, and its great status in Allah's eyes, and that it is among the best ways to get close to Allah. And the youth realized what others did not; that the difficulty of direct confrontation between the people of faith and the people of unbelief doesn't mean surrendering to them, and that with martyrdom operations, it will be easy to infiltrate their ranks and inflict huge losses on them.
[ Wa'il al-Shihri - One of the Martyrs of the Manhattan Raid ]
And when I and my brothers carried out research and asked the people of knowledge about what will weaken them and upset their plans, we found that the martyrdom operation is the best way to wound the enemies and terrorize them, especially when confronting them with regular, conventional tactics is not feasible. As for its legal status, most people of knowledge, past and present, have permitted it and shown that it is a great way to bring oneself near to Allah, the Exalted.
[ Narrator ]
At this point in time, the Muslims in Palestine were suffering the ugliest types of oppression and persecution, and the hearts of the Mujahideen were breaking and full of rage towards what their brothers in the Blessed Land were undergoing. And the Mujahideen's primary concern became how to life this oppression from the Muslims in Palestine in particular and the world's Muslims in general.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
Your brothers and sisters in Palestine, due to the severity of the oppression they are experiencing, went out a few days ago carrying banners with which they addressed the Mujahideen here. They said, "We are waiting for assistance from the people of Afghanistan." You have been addressed and your names mentioned, so fear Allah the Exalted and give victory to this great word, and give victory to the people of "There is no God other than Allah," and you will be successful, Allah willing.
To our brothers in Palestine, we say, the blood of your children is the blood of our children, and your blood is our blood. The blood is the same and the destruction is the same, and we call Allah to witness that we shall not abandon you until victory is complete or we taste what Hamza bin Abd al-Mutallib tasted. And we give you the good news that the reinforcements of Islam are on their way and that the reinforcements of the Yemen will continue with the permission of Allah, the One, the Only.
[ Narrator ]
Although the addresses of the Mujahid Shaykh Abu Abdullah in the period rarely appeared in the media, the released of some statements motivated the enemy to declare a state of high alert and call up all his fleets and warships in anticipation of new attacks similar to the destruction of the American destroyer, USS Cole.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
Just days ago, America warns its nationals in the region to be careful and take precautions, then raises the level of readiness for the American forces in Kuwait, then two days later, raises the threat level for the forces in Bahrain and Doha to its highest level. And two or three days after that, it orders all its employees in the American embassy in Sana'a and their families to leave Sana'a for America because there is information that terrorist operations targeting them are imminent.
Then early yesterday morning, the radio stations announce - and your brothers recorded the report on tape - that two American investigative teams in Yemen, one from the navy and the other from the FBI, have left Yemen in a hurry, in compliance to orders from the American government because they received specific and credible information that the Mujahideen are preparing to strike them around this time. And for Allah is the credit.
[ Narrator ]
The training of this group of glory-makers and the martyrdom-lovers continued, to properly prepare them to join their brothers to properly prepare them to join their brothers who preceded them to the land of the enemy, where the battle would be fought. And during the training, the champions combined hearing and obeying with distinguished performance of the exercise given them, which they would spend most of their day learning before applying it by slaughtering camels. But the heroes of the raids didn't depend on their strength and power or on the special training they received. Rather, the depended on Allah, the Exalted, who is Able to do all things. And during this period, they were closer to Allah than at any other time.
The
clatter of the war is music to his ears
And the echo of the machine gun waters his
heart
Steadfast, in his chest a thousand echoes
Of the terrifying sounds of battle
The clatter of the war is music to his ears
And the echo of the machine gun waters his
heart
Steadfast, in his chest a thousand echoes
Of the terrifying sounds of battle
So silent, you think him ill, but
If he speaks, how great his light
He loves death even if the people have kneeled
To seek this life in complete comfort
He loves death even if the people have kneeled
To seek this life in complete comfort
The clatter of the war is music to his ears
And the echo of the machine gun waters his
heart
Steadfast, in his chest a thousand echoes
Of the terrifying sounds of battle
His concern in his chest burns
From the distressing concerns of the Muslims
Glory is reflected in his eyes
So they fill with sadness and his tears flow
His concern in his chest burns
From the distressing concerns of the Muslims
Glory is reflected in his eyes
So they fill with sadness and his tears flow
He came with the soul of a death-defying
believer
With him in the fight is the glory of Islam
He fires for a near victory
Or to ransom the religion he meets his death
He fires for a near victory
Or to ransom the religion he meets his death
His concern in his chest burns
From the distressing concerns of the Muslims
Glory is reflected in his eyes
So they fill with sadness and his tears flow
A lone pioneer, his wound bleeds
His resolve like Umar's, he refuses lowliness
His resolve is not shaken by armies
Or a coward who kicks up dust
A lone pioneer, his wound bleeds
His resolve like Umar's, he refuses lowliness
His resolve is not shaken by armies
Or a coward who kicks up dust
Helping the religion is in his heart
He follows the truth and not the sycophants
He follows the footsteps of a timeless
generation
Which brought to the world guidance and
benefit
[ Narrator ]
On the soil of Kandahar and on a number of occasions, evenings of poetry and inspiring speeches were held under the supervision of the Mujahid Shaykh Abu Abdullah, who made certain that the heroes of the raids participated in those parties by reciting poems and songs in front of the guests, in order to show the youth of the Ummah living examples of heroism.
[ Mohand al-Shihri - One of the Martyrs of the Manhattan Raid ]
We congratulate the Muslims on the occasion of the blessed Eid, and we congratulate our Shaykh Usama bin Ladin on this fine occasion, and we ask Allah that the next Eid be a celebration of victory and establishment for the Muslims. I read this poem to you before, but there's nothing wrong with reading it again:
O youth
of truth
Come to eternity
Prepare to go out
For unbelief has snarled
From Aden to London
From Kabul to Washington
From Mecca to Rome
And from Medina to Dublin
So forge the passports
And oppose all who bootlick
And whoever finds a way
Should come to us
Light a fire in the infidels
To raise from us the shame
Don't fear or be afraid
But say "I am rough"
We shall water the ground with our blood
To raise the banner of truth
And we shall water the ground with their blood
And their banner of unbelief shall fall
So no, by Allah, I don't care for air or
ground weapons
And TNT is better than them: it heals our hard
wounds
Palestine calls us, O sons of Abu Mihjan
"My sons' blood is spilled, and the rulers of
the Arabs are mirages"
[ Narrator ]
At the same time, America's military plans were in place to strike Afghanistan, and the enemy took the necessary arrangements in that regard as it awaited the launch hour, as stated subsequently by the American general Tommy Franks, who said that the preparations for war continued up to the 10th of September.
[ Brother Azzam the American ]
By the middle of 2001, the threats and warnings were becoming more frequent and more specific. I remember hearing a former Pakistani diplomat telling the BBC months before September 11th that the Americans had informed their allies during their meeting in Germany of their plan to invade Afghanistan in the autumn before the first snow fall, which is what they eventually did. So we knew what was coming. The question was, do we sit back and wait or do we surprise them with a pre-empty strike?
[ Narrator ]
On the other side, and after the pilots completed the training stage and became ready to execute their missions, the surveillance team finished gathering the necessary data on the preliminary targets which had been determined previously. And following consultation and exchange of opinions according to the results of the surveillance, four strategic targets were chosen for the military, psychological and economic impact their hitting would have on the American government and people. Next, the documents office supervised teaching the heroes, how to forge official documents and papers and the appropriate ways to traverse security barriers, before they left Kandahar.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
And we gave you the good news a few weeks ago that brothers of yours have departed, carrying their heads in their hands, seeking death where it is found for the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted. So I ask Allah the Exalted to grant them victory and direct their fire, for He is Custodian of that and Able to do it.
[ Announcement after a few days ]
The news, by the grace of Allah, is delightful. The brother is asking about the brothers who went out for martyrdom operations in Allah's path. Their news is delightful and their going out has terrified Unbelief International, by Allah's grace. And I strongly advise you to increase your prayers for them and beseech Allah the Exalted in your prayers to grant them success, make firm their foothold, and strengthen their hearts for He is Custodian of that and able to do it.
[ Narrator ]
Because of the number of announcements made by the Shaykh about the operations, some of the brothers asked if this wouldn't have a negative effect on plans for the operation.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
Fine, when we talk here, we know that our words must reach them. So we give you the good news and ask you to pray on one hand, and we wage a psychological war against the enemy and shake his prestige in front of the world on the other. So there's no harm in it.
[ Narrator ]
The Mujahideen spoke about their intentions to strike the Hubal of the age many times before the blessed strikes, despite the danger that posed to the operation, in order to shake the prestige of the enemy in front of the world; break his ability to ward off the strikes when they came; before it's too late; and to call on the leaders among the sons of the Ummah to contribute to the taking of the Ummah's crucial decisions. And in this is a response to those affiliating with Islamic work who stigmatize the Mujahideen as detached from the Ummah in the taking of the fateful decisions which concern the Ummah's future.
[ Wa'il al-Shihri - One of the Martyrs of the Manhattan Raid ]
So to our virtuous scholars: your
Islamic Ummah is waiting for you, whether by coming yourselves or by issuing
Fatwas to take us out of this bitter state of affairs. The Ummah's youth need
role models who sacrifice and exhort, especially from those like you, and they
have confidence in you, so it is your duty to awaken the people and incite them
to Jihad and imitation of the Prophetic biography, because you will be asked by
Allah about your knowledge - what did you do with it and did you faithfully
relay it to the people? And by your telling them that Jihad is only a collective
duty, you are prolonging the humiliation and disgrace of the Ummah. So fear
Allah, act for a Day when the people are gathered for accounting and the man
will flee from his brother, mother and father. They will stand before Allah to
retaliate from you if you didn't fulfill the trust of knowledge and applying
what Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, ordered.
If we reflect on the life of the Chosen One, peace be upon him, we find that he
spent his life in Da'wah and emigration and Jihad. He participated - peace be
upon him - in 28 military expeditions to raise the banner of monotheism, and
emigrated from his country to escape with his religion, so why haven't you
sacrificed and emigrated to the land of Afghanistan, where the Law of Allah
rules, or extracted yourself from under the boots of the apostate tyrants to
prepare and exhort and take the Ummah out of its current state. That will not
take place through debating and talking a lot; there must be sacrifice and
giving. Where are we from His statement:
"O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that,
when you are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, you cling heavily to the
earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the
comfort of this life as compared with the hereafter. Unless you go forth, He
will punish you with a painful punishment, and put others in your place. But Him
you would not harm in the least, for Allah has power over all things."
(9:38-39)
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
Allah says, "Whoever disbelieves in the idol and believes in Allah has grasped the strongest handhold." (2:256)
So to disbelieve this idol is a must, and the best of good deeds is that you order the people to "There is no God other than Allah" and fight for that, as stated by the predecessors, with whom Allah was pleased.
[ Narrator ]
Meanwhile, the Mujahideen were closely following events around them, and studying the reaction of the Arab and Islamic street to these events, in order to know how prepared the people were to receive the operation, and in order to draw up a strategic plan for the repercussions that would follow the attack.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
So these events and the other
repercussions have an impact on the hearts of the Muslims, young and old.
Perhaps your brothers in the information department will send a cassette
recorded only a week ago, after the closing of the embassy in Yemen, of a debate
on al-Jazeerah between a man who supports normalization with the Jews and
another man who opposes normalization. They ran an opinion poll over a period of
two days, and broadcast the results during the program. The number of
participants in this poll was nearly 29,000 from the states of the region.
The percentage who supported striking the American military was 91%. This is a
large number and an extraordinary transformation from a little while ago. So for
Allah is all praise. We'll ask our brothers in information to send a copy, Allah
willing. This is a miracle, servants of Allah. A few years ago, a person would
hide and be scared and was a stranger even among his family. And suddenly, this
great help falls from the sky, by the grace of Allah the Exalted, making Jihad
acceptable, and this Ummah, from East to West, has become an advocate of Jihad.
So for Allah is the credit.
[ Narrator ]
The heroes recorded their last wills and testaments in which they clarified the reasons and motivations behind their carrying out this blessed act. These messages also included advice and directions for the Islamic Ummah and exposed the traitorous apostate governments. And the martyrdom seekers didn't forget to send messages to the American government and people.
[ Hamza al-Ghamdi - One of the Martyrs of the Manhattan Raid ]
Finally I send this message to every American in the Muslim lands in general and to the American forces and government in the land of the Two Sanctuaries in particular, and I say to them words fed by the honor of Allah and watered by my blood. I swear by Allah, my shadow will not leave your shadow until the most impatient of us dies. And I say to America: if it wants its armies and people to be safe, then it must withdraw all its forces from the Muslim lands and depart from all our countries.
If not, then let it await the men, prepare its coffins and dig graves for its citizens, and let it prepare to taste the woe and destruction which is coming the way of its leaders and people, with Allah's permission.
O Allah, make it fall on our hands.
O Allah, water the tree of Jihad with out blood.
O Allah, accept us as martyrs and gather us with the Prophets, truthful ones
and martyrs, and what fine companions they are.
O Allah, send prayers and peace on the best of Creation and gather us with him
in the highest garden of Paradise.
O Allah, have I conveyed? O Allah, be my witness.
O Allah, have I conveyed? O Allah, be my witness.
O Allah, have I conveyed? O Allah, be my witness.
[ Wa'il al-Shihri - One of the Martyrs of the Manhattan Raid ]
As for this message of mine, I ask Allah the Great, Lord of the Great Throne, that it only reach you after this unbelieving nation caves in with our blood. I ask Him to punish them at our hands, and that He makes use of you to complete this path after us, stand next to the word of monotheism whose helpers have become few and remove humiliation and disgrace from our Ummah by expelling the Americans from the Arabian Peninsula, expelling the Jews from Palestine and expelling all unbelievers and trespassers from the Muslim lands.
And respond to the order of Allah, "And fight them on until there is no more persecution and the religion in its entirety is for Allah's" (9:39) and His order, "Fight them! Allah will punish them at your hands, and disgrace them and help you (to victory) over them, and heal the breasts of a believing people." (9:14)
[ Narrator ]
The arrival of the strike force in the battlefield was completed, and they joined the squad commanders - the four pilots - and each squadron was handed the target assigned to it, as well as the execution plan and date of battle, which wouldn't be long in coming.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
We are at the gates of a major fight. We are preparing these days to fight the infidels. your brothers went out to strike, and they went out to strike. America and Russia came out wanting to strike the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan and the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. So I advise myself and you to be patient and God-fearing.
[ Brother Azzam the American ]
In our side, everything that the al-Qaida was doing was preparation for the Manhattan and the Washington Raids and the expected Crusader invasion. The training got tougher, there was a greater emphasis on Islamic and political education and the media and Da'wah outreach was developed and expanded. Everyone knew that something big was offing including the Americans but of course only a select few knew the details.
The Americans had been on high-alert ever since the bombing of the USS Cole closing their embassies and issuing travel alerts almost weekly, because they had rather foolishly assumed that whatever was going to happen would happen outside America like every other major Jihadi operation with the exception of the first World Trade Center bombing: I personally thought that the major attack which everyone was talking about would take place somewhere in the Islamic region like the Arabian Peninsular for instance. It never crossed my mind that some thing might happen on enemy soil.
[ Narrator ]
In Afghanistan, the domestic preparations began, in order to be ready for the counterinsurgency. The Mujahideen dug camouflaged trenches in the hills and reinforced the Islamic Emirate's frontlines by increasing the number of fighters in them, especially those with military expertise. And the basic needs of the fronts, including equipment, ammunition and logistical support, were met. And all of that was at the direction of the Mujahid Shaykh Abu Abdullah, may Allah protect him, and under the direct supervision of a number of prominent senior military commanders.
[ Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin ]
We are about to move, with Allah's permission, to a number of places. And those of you who graduate from the courses may join us later, for us to seek their help after seeking the help of Allah, the Exalted. And the nature of the conditions after the strike will require you of things easy for those for whom Allah makes it easy. So be patient with us for a while until victory is achieved, with Allah's permission.
Today, by Allah's grace, we are redrawing the map of the Islamic world, for it to become one state under the banner of the Caliphate, with Allah's permission. And today, by His grace, we are writing a pure history of the people of Faith in this age in which oppression, tyranny, corruption and unbelief have spread all over the world. So happy is he whom Allah steadies besides the banner of monotheism.
Submitted by a Mujahid