NEW YORK, Sept 11: A videotape shown on ABC television on Sunday, purportedly from a US member of Al Qaeda, threatened attacks on Los Angeles and the Australian city of Melbourne on the fourth anniversary of 9/11. ABC News said it had received the video in Pakistan. It reported that the masked speaker appears to be Adam Gadahn, from southern California, who threatens attacks on the two cities, “Allah willing,” and warns that the attackers will show no compassion.
“Yesterday, London and Madrid. Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne, God willing. At this time, don’t count on us demonstrating restraint or compassion,” the tape warns. “We are Muslims. We love peace, but peace on our terms, peace as laid down by Islam, not the so-called peace of occupiers and dictators.”
American intelligence officials believe the man who appears on the tape to be Adam Gadahn of Orange County, Calif. Last year, Gadahn delivered a similar taped communiqué for Al Qaeda. That tape was later deemed authentic, the news channel said.
On the new tape, Gadahn’s message contains a very pointed Al Qaeda threat against Los Angeles and Melbourne.
In response to the threats against their city, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the city’s police department admitted to Los Angeles being a target of terrorism, but said there were no known, credible threats against the city and labelled the tape an instrument of Al Qaeda propaganda.
“The statement broadcast this morning on Good Morning America should come as no surprise to anyone. The statement was meant to instil fear, and fear is the most important weapon the terrorists possess.”
“Don’t believe the lies of the liars at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and 10 Downing Street,” Gadahn insists. “They have dispatched your sons and daughters to die lonely deaths in the burning deserts of Iraq and the unforgiving mountains of Afghanistan.”
Only a few years ago, Adam Gadahn was a southern California teenager with interests in environment and heavy metal music.
His family told ABC news that Gadahn converted to Islam at an Orange County mosque. There, officials say, Gadahn came under the influence of militants who took him to Pakistan.
He has since emerged as an Al Qaeda propaganda tool. His latest message warns Americans an attack is imminent unless the United States stops its operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We love peace, but when the enemy violates that peace or prevents us from achieving it, then we love nothing better than the heat of battle, the echo of explosion, and the slitting of the throats of infidels,” the tape says.
