Bin Laden offers golden bounty

2004-05-07 09:20

Cairo - An audio recording attributed to Osama bin Laden offered rewards in gold for the killing of top US and UN officials in Iraq or of the citizens of any nation fighting there, including Japan and Italy.

The 20-minute recording, dated Thursday, appeared on websites for the Ansar Islam Forum and the Islamic Research Centre. Both are clearing-houses for statements by al-Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups.

"You know that America promised big rewards for those who kill mujahedeen," the speaker said. "We in al-Qaeda organisation will guarantee, God willing, 10 000 grams of gold to whoever kills the occupier Bremer, or the American chief commander or his deputy in Iraq."

"For security reasons, the rewards will be given as soon as conditions permit, God willing," the voice said. "As for those who die while killing an occupying solider, the great prize will be for us and for him when God grants him martyrdom, and the smaller prize (the gold) will be for his family."

"The United Nations is nothing but a Zionists' tool, even if it worked under the cover of providing humanitarian aid," the voice said. "Whoever kills Kofi Annan or the head of his commission in Iraq or a representative like Lakhdar Brahimi, he will be awarded the same prize of 10 000 grams of gold."

The speaker promised 1 000 grams of gold to anyone killing a citizen of countries he called "the masters of the veto like Americans and Britons" - a reference to nations with veto power on the UN Security Council.

Slaves

And he offered 500 grams of gold to anyone killing citizens of countries he called "slaves of the Security Council who are in Iraq, like Japan and Italy".

The United States has offered rewards of its own for information leading to the capture or death of bin Laden and his top lieutenants, as well as for top figures in the former Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein. The price on bin Laden's head now stands at $50m - far more than the nearly $125 000 that 10 000 grams of gold is worth.

Bin Laden had never been known to offer rewards for missions he had described as followers' religious duty to carry out.

The speaker denounced US plans to hand sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30, calling them a trick to end the resistance that has killed hundreds of US soldiers.

"There is no sovereignty for Iraq as long as a crusader solider remains in its land, and no sovereignty for Iraq as long as it is not ruled by Islam," the voice said.

The speaker urged Iraqis to fight a holy war against their US-appointed Governing Council.

He also threatened any Iraqis helping the US-led coalition.

"Whoever helps the infidels against Muslims is committing a violation to Islam," he said, warning of consequences including "spilling blood, taking his money, separating him from his wife."

The recording was titled: A Word from the emir of the Islamic armies, Osama, to the nation and especially to brotherly Muslims in Iraq.

- AP