Two New As Sahab Productions: 9-11 & al-Muhajir

Al-Qaeda releases a 9-11 “commemoration” video tape and an audiotape of Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, its commander in Iraq

As Sahab, al Qaeda’s media/propaganda arm, has been on a media blitz this summer. The latest two releases, an audiotape from Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, al Qaeda in Iraq’s commander, and a video purportedly with stock footage of Osama bin Laden, speeches by Ayman al-Zawahiri and Azzam the American, and al Qaeda training camps, the last will of two 9-11 attackers, and a meeting between Osama, Abu Hafs al-Masri and 9-11 planner Ramzi bin al-Shibh.

These two tapes follow a summer media campaign which included a video of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi just prior to his death, Osama praising Zarqawi after his death, a commemoration video for Chechen commander Shamil Basayev, a 7/7 videotape, a speech by Zawahiri and a speech by Azzam the American. Al-Qaeda has a well organized and well thought out media plan, which is being coordinated across the Middle East and southern Asia. The campaign belies the idea that al Qaeda is a decentralized organization with little command, control and communications.

Nick Grace of Global Crisis Watch provides the 3 minute clip from the 9-11 commemoration tape [note: 4M download], as well as an analysis of the technical and other aspects of the video. “This new video is extremely well produced and subtitled in English,” said Grace. As Sahab curiously is airbrushing the images of the World Trade Center.

The video also dispels a myth about 9-11. A common theme is the “muscle” for the hijackings were unaware that they were on a suicide mission. The ‘martyrdom tapes’ by 9-11 hijackers al-Shehri and al-Ghamdi indicate they were indeed prepared to die in a suicide mission. It is believed there are videotapes of other hijackers as well.

Note: The Muhajir audiotape will be covered later in the day

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.