New Bin Laden Video or More Media Manipulation? (Wizbang)

Via ABC News.

A brief clip of an older-looking Osama bin Laden is contained in a new al Qaeda videotape praising al Qaeda martyrs posted on jihadi Web sites early this morning.

Experts who study al Qaeda videos told ABC News they had not previously seen the clip of bin Laden, which was released with little fanfare and contains no date references, but say it is most likely an unreleased portion of an earlier message.

You can watch the video at the ABC site linked above.

According to a senior administration official, intelligence agencies have determined the video was previously aired as a portion of a longer one shown first on MBC TV (Middle East broadcast station) on April 15, 2002. If that is the case then this is another example of terrorist manipulation of the media. A terrorist website releases a supposedly new video and rather than waiting to verify it, the media rushes it to air to the benefit of terrorists trying to transmit their message of jihad to the world.

Update: Here is the video from 2002 which ABC aired five years ago. The information I received is consistent with Jim Hoft's post that Kim linked in an update to this earlier post.

Comments (10)

I question the timing. The ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by scrapiron | July 14, 2007 10:37 PM | Score: 3 (5 votes cast)

scrapiron

I question the timing. The democrats in congress were just hyping UBL the past week and now we have a new/old tape. The DNC and AQ are as connected as joined at the head twins. Two bodies, one brain. Time for the 50% of Americans that are in denial about terrorism to wake up and watch the traitors in the democrat party real close.

Posted on July 14, 2007 22:37

I remain convinced that OBL... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Billll | July 14, 2007 11:01 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Billll

I remain convinced that OBL is the jelly in a rock sandwich somewhere in the Tora Boras, and has been since 2003.

Posted on July 14, 2007 23:01

OBL runs the back office at... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Mitchell | July 15, 2007 12:20 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Mitchell:

OBL runs the back office at DNC.

Posted on July 15, 2007 00:20

He's dead,been dead,and goo... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by jainphx | July 15, 2007 1:21 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

jainphx:

He's dead,been dead,and good riddance.

Posted on July 15, 2007 01:21

Scrappy, I think you are ri... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by WildWillie | July 15, 2007 8:32 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

WildWillie:

Scrappy, I think you are right on. I have a recent example of media manipulation for the DNC. Chris Matthews set Ann Coulter up on live TV with Elizebeth Edwards claiming all the hurt Ann Coulter has caused. The next day ALL the mainstream media were shouting for stopping the hate by the right. Then Rush got in the mix, and then the fairness doctrine. The only thing that did not work according to plan is a republican senator coming out ahead of time to say he overheard Boxer and Clinton talking about how they must do something about conservative radio. They denied the conversation took place. So lo and behold, all this broke out. So Boxer and Clinton did not look too foolish, Kerry and Durbin were selected to carry the water for that issue. And to this day, the left thinks the media isn't liberal. ww

Posted on July 15, 2007 08:32

I guess it's a pretty safe ... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Oyster | July 15, 2007 8:43 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Oyster:

I guess it's a pretty safe bet that OBL has completed the decomposition process by now.

What I find curious is the contradictory arguments I hear coming from the same mouths depending on what their political opposites are saying at the time. They'll bring up and emphasize the importance of finding OBL when he is not the actual subject of discussion and then downplay his importance when he is the subject saying that if he were dead, another would simply rise up and take his place.

Posted on July 15, 2007 08:43

It would be sensible to con... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Vehicle Assistance | July 15, 2007 9:15 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

Vehicle Assistance:

It would be sensible to consider that his appearance has changed considerably over the years to ensure he can be moved without being recognised or seen. I would imagine only his very trusted collegues would have direct access to himself.
Showing recent videos would of course show vital information, to the authorities and even the general public, who may see the reward as worth while.
Mark

Posted on July 15, 2007 09:15

Bin Laden was goat food yea... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by nikkolai | July 15, 2007 11:18 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

nikkolai:

Bin Laden was goat food years ago. How ironic--he went from "goat-humping" to goat fodder....

Posted on July 15, 2007 11:18

Maybe next time they can ge... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by RScott | July 15, 2007 11:32 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

RScott:

Maybe next time they can get Gary Bussey to play the part.

Posted on July 15, 2007 11:32

I too question the timing.<... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by C-C-G | July 15, 2007 12:50 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

C-C-G

I too question the timing.

Why bring up an OBL video now?

Could it be because al-Qaeda is starting to lose in Iraq, and thus they feel the need to bolster the morale of their human bombs?

Perhaps they're running out of people willing to strap bombs to their bodies, and need to recruit more?

However, I seriously doubt that the Dhimmicrat party had anything to do with this. Their strategy is to down-play the war (it's just a bumper-sticker), and an Osama tape does just the opposite, it reminds people that al-Qaeda still hasn't been destroyed. Slowed, yes, but there's still some life in al-Qaeda. I don't think the Party of the Donkey is stoopid enough to do that.