https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmaykpRxwKA
A new video from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula alludes to the Senate Intelligence Committee report released this week on enhanced interrogation techniques, claiming that jihadist brethren need to be rescued from U.S. prisons violating human rights.
The video released by AQAP’s media arm, Al-Malahem, is titled “A message for American people about killing American hostage in Yemen.”
Nasser bin Ali al-Ansi also spoke in the video threatening the life of American photojournalist Luke Somers unless their demands were met in three days. The Obama administration launched a raid to rescue Somers nearly a week ago, but he and South African hostage Pierre Korkie were killed in the attempt. A charity claimed it had negotiated Korkie’s release just before he was killed.
“This message is for American people about killing hostages in Yemen. After our message in which we gave Obama and his government three days to fulfill demands of mujahideen, with it was appeal of American hostage,” al-Ansi said in regard to Somers’ message.
“Obama was taking wrong decision which was accounted as a signature of execution order of American citizen. Despite our warning to him not to do any foolish brave things … he didn’t do anything to withhold death of hostage and to keep his life,” he continued. “… Obama and his government know fairness of our demands and they could at least negotiate with us about some clause or be sincere in this matter. But he chose military solution, which failed before and failed once again, thank to grace of Allah.”
Al-Ansi boasted that “a few members” of al-Qaeda and “brothers from the tribe” fought off the Americans despite superior U.S. weaponry and air support. He said the battle went on for three hours.
“You must know that every Muslim is mujahid and that jihad is worshipping and obligation in our religion,” he warned, referring to Yemeni tribesmen defending AQAP.
He acknowledged the appeal that Somers’ family made directly to al-Qaeda for the journalist’s release. “But it was appropriate to appeal to Obama and his government, not to us,” Al-Ansi said. “Obama made decision which caused things to go in a completely different way than we wanted.”
The AQAP official accused Obama of trying “to cover his barbaric behavior” while decrying the barbaric murder of Somers. “Obama was careless about other innocent lives,” he added, noting Korkie was soon to be released.
“I would like to present a few questions for those reasonable,” al-Ansi continued, arguing that AQAP has a right to try to free Omar Abdulrahman, the “Blind Sheikh” serving a life sentence in North Carolina. “Can they explain the fate of imprisoned Aafia Siddiqui and can they free her after two long years of injustice and torture and arrest?” The U.S.-educated Pakistani neuroscientist dubbed “Lady al-Qaeda” is in prison in Texas; ISIS sought her release in a prisoner exchange before they murdered journalist James Foley.
“We have brothers and sisters, who are jailed and put in Guantanamo Bay prison, in prisons of American collaborators in Islamic countries, and in American security prisons which are spread all over the world; they have a right to be free. We try to free them from their tragic situation and barbaric injustice which is far away from convention of human rights,” al-Ansi said.
“Is there anything in this and another list of American injustice and tyranny we can negotiate about with America? This American answer and behavior confirm the truth [about] what mujahideen think, that it is impossible to have agreement with American government except in a way of straightforward killing and facing tyranny which puts the lives of all Americans in danger, inside and outside of America, in the air, on the ground and in the sea. Would your people understand the fate which this government and this aggressive policy guides you to?” the AQAP official continued.
“You will not dream of safety until we actually live it in Palestine and all Muslim countries.”
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