‘The Storm of Airplanes Will Not Stop . . . ‘

Excerpts from a statement by Osama bin Laden spokesman Sulaiman abu Ghaith that was broadcast on the Arab television news station Al Jazeera. The statement was translated from the Arabic by Federal News service.

. . . Those youths who did what they did and destroyed America with their airplanes, they’ve done a good deed. They have moved the battle into the heart of America.

America must know that the battle will not leave its land until America leaves our land, until it stops supporting Israel, until it stops the blockade against Iraq. The Americans must know that the storm of airplanes will not stop, and there are thousands of young people who look forward to death like the Americans look forward to living.

And the Americans must know that by coming to the land of Afghanistan, they have opened a new page of animosity between us and the forces of the unbelievers. We will fight them with everything material that we have and with all our faith in God. We shall be victorious. The Americans have opened a door that will never be closed.