2004 Osama Bin Laden Video - Intelligence Response

Intelligence Response

Even though al Jazeera (when broadcasting the footage on its evening newscast) didn't disclose the source of the video, sources within the United States intelligence community have confirmed that the speaker, who appears behind a lectern, is indeed bin Laden. By mentioning 2004 U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry by name, the tape would seem to prove that bin Laden was still alive at least mid-way through 2004.

According to the Agence France-Presse, U.S. diplomats in Qatar were given a copy of a videotape of Osama before it aired on al Jazeera television; the diplomats unsuccessfully sought to prevent the Arabic language network from broadcasting it. The United States State Department requested that the government of Qatar (where Al Jazeera is located) discourage the station from airing the videotape, according to a senior State Department official.

Even though the tape was analyzed by American intelligence to determine if it contains any coded messages to operatives, White House spokesman Scott McClellan commented that there were no plans to raise the U.S. terrorism alert level, as no specific threats were made in the tape.

Ron Suskind noted that the CIA analysis of the video led them to the consensus view that the tape was designed strategically to help President Bush win reelection in 2004. Deputy CIA director John E. McLaughlin noted at one meeting, "Bin Laden certainly did a nice favor today for the President." Suskind quoted Jami Miscik, CIA deputy associate director for intelligence, as saying "Certainly, he would want Bush to keep doing what he’s doing for a few more years." The same speculation has been made by Bahukutumbi Raman.