American greases al-Qaida media machine

Post-9/11 video productions
As-Sahaab’s technical team again went to work on behalf of al-Qaida in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against the United States, releasing lavishly edited video recordings of bin Laden and the 9/11 suicide hijackers.

In what would become a consistent pattern for As-Sahaab, the videos were first aired in excerpts on Arab satellite television networks and then were later released publicly through mid-level terrorist facilitators (primarily over the Internet). One of the martyrdom videos — featuring Saudi hijacker Abdulaziz al-Omari — featured some sections narrated in English by a youthful-sounding voice (later identified as that of Gadahn).  

Speaking on the videotape, Gadahn heaped praise on the “heroic” hijackers for seeking “the destruction of the idol of modern times, America.” In reflection on the life of al-Omari, Gadahn exhorted Muslims of all nationalities, “enough fun and games. Arise and follow the footsteps of these heroes and destroy the remnants of this idol America.”

At the end of the tape, Gadahn boasted further of As-Sahaab’s role in distributing al-Qaida propaganda in what amounted to a terrorist theatrical trailer:

“Among our releases, the will of the martyr Ahmad al-Haznawi, which he wrote before the assaults on New York and Washington. By the grace of Allah, this video has been translated into a number of languages, including English and French. … Also from among our releases is the ‘Destruction of the American Destroyer USS Cole.’”

On the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Gadahn finally emerged from the shadows after being singled out as a wanted “person of interest” by the FBI.

Al-Qaida intermediaries in Pakistan handed various news agencies a video of a bespectacled Gadahn (then identified only as “Azzam the American”) wrapped in a kaffiyeh and clutching an automatic weapon.

‘The streets ... will run red with blood’
In an arrogant and petulant rant, Gadahn assessed his “fellow countrymen” to be “guilty, guilty, guilty.” Awkwardly jabbing into the air with his chubby pale fingers, he insisted, “what took place on September 11 was but the opening salvo of the war against America and … Allah willing, the magnitude and ferocity of what is coming your way will make you forget all about September 11. … Allah willing, the streets of America will run red with blood … casualties will be too many to count, and the next wave of attacks may come at any moment.”

Gadahn continued to threaten in his second video-recorded appearance first released by As-Sahaab in September 2005. Shown sitting in a black mask and turban and again holding a weapon, he swore revenge on his own hometown: “Yesterday, London and Madrid.  Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne (Australia, God willing.”

In his most recent video message released last week — the first video in which Gadahn has appeared unmasked – he became even more specific, surging Muslims angered by reported U.S. military abuses in Iraq to “go on a shooting spree at the Marines’ housing facilities at Camp Pendleton.”

While Gadahn’s technical skills are obvious, there is debate among terrorism experts who have watched the As-Sahaab videos featuring Gadahn as to his effectiveness as a recruiter.

His overly theatrical video messages do not have the charismatic appeal as those from veteran commanders like bin Laden or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In fact, it is difficult to imagine any disaffected Americans actually being drawn to al-Qaida by the prospect of working under a pedantic and self-congratulatory Gadahn.

Al-Qaida’s leaders may indeed draw some personal delight from triumphantly parading about their American “asset”—but for the rest of us, it is hardly a pretty picture.

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