The 2007 Osama bin Laden video originally appeared in a banner ad on an Islamic militant website regularly used by al-Qaeda on September 6, 2007. The ad carried a picture of bin Laden and the logo of al-Qaeda's media production company As-Sahab. An accompanying translated message read: "Soon, with the permission of God, a new visual tape, the Sheikh, the Lion, Osama bin Laden. May God protect him." The timing of the video's release coincided with the 6th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States. bin Laden's previous appearance in a video was in 2004. By September 7, 2007, United States authorities had obtained a copy of the video, even though it hadn't been officially released. Soon after, the Reuters news agency released a 1-minute excerpt of the tape, which it had obtained from BNO News.
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Note: The following description was compiled after consideration of the video and transcript as hosted by In the video, bin Laden is seated at a table wearing a white robe, turban, and beige cloak. His beard is shorter than in his 2004 video and it's black, leading some to speculate that it had been dyed. The video's title "The Solution" appears in the top left corner of the video frame. The video running time is approximately 26 minutes. Bin Laden addresses the "People of America" directly in the video, but he makes no direct threats to the United States. He criticizes perceived flaws in American society and US foreign policy, contrasting these with the perceived virtues of Islam. The September 11 attacks are mentioned several times, as is the Iraq War. The video concludes with a suggestion that Americans should convert to Islam. Other events and themes in the video include:
He suggests that the viewer read the European thinker who anticipated the fall of the Soviet Union. Although not named, Bin Laden is believed to be referring to Emmanuel Todd and his book . Bin Laden suggests that notice should be taken of comments made by a US soldier serving in Iraq named Joshua: The soldier's comments were made in an ABC News story dated July 16, 2007, and although Bin Laden attributes the remarks to Corporal Joshua Lake who appears in the story.
Questions concerning authenticity
Several peculiarities in the video raise questions regarding its authenticity:
Osama bin Laden sports the trimmer, blacker beard and the same clothing he wore in the October 2004 video.
All references to current events, such as the 62nd anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Japan, and Sarkozy and Brown being the leaders of France and the UK, respectively, occur when the video is frozen.
Reaction to the video
President George W. Bush speaking from the APEC Summit in Sydney, Australia: Homeland Security AdvisorFrances Townsend speaking to Fox News Sunday: Expert on Islamic issues Sliman Abu Rahman speaking to Al Jazeera: Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer speaking to Wolf Blitzer, anchor of CNN's The Situation Room: Scheuer also provided a more detailed analysis at the Jamestown Foundation site. Security analyst M.J. Gohel of the Asia-Pacific Foundation speaking to The Washington Post:
Second video
On September 11, 2007, a second video appeared, purportedly featuring a eulogy by Osama bin Laden for 9/11 hijackerWaleed al-Shehri. In the video, a voice identified as bin Laden's delivers a 14-minute introduction. The voice is heard over a still picture of bin Laden, dressed and groomed as he appears in the September 7, 2007 video. The 33-minute balance of the recording is a video will read by al-Shehri.
