AP...Al-Jazeera Airs Videotape by Bin Laden

[RedEarth]

CAIRO, Egypt - Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), reading a statement to the American people in a new videotape aired Friday, directly admitted for the first time that he ordered the Sept. 11 attacks and said "the best way to avoid another Manhattan" was to stop threatening Muslims' security.

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He accused President Bush (news - web sites) of "misleading" the American people since the 2001 suicide airline hijackings that hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (news - web sites).


"Your security is not in the hands of (Democratic candidate John) Kerry or Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands," bin Laden said.


"To the U.S. people, my talk is to you about the best way to avoid another disaster," he said. "I tell you: security is an important element of human life and free people do not give up their security."


"If Bush says we hate freedom, let him tell us why we didn't attack Sweden, for example. It is known that those who hate freedom do not have dignified souls, like those of the 19 blessed ones," he said, referring to the 19 hijackers.


"We fought you because we are free .. and want to regain freedom for our nation. As you undermine our security we undermine yours."



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20041029/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bin_laden_tape