Originally published September 12, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 12, 2007 at 2:06 AM
Terrorism Notebook
Bin Laden videos raise new health questions
Two messages from Osama bin Laden in a matter of days have revived the game of questions over his health and whereabouts, but they also...
CAIRO, Egypt — Two messages from Osama bin Laden in a matter of days have revived the game of questions over his health and whereabouts, but they also made clear he is al-Qaida's propaganda "top gun," able to draw attention in the West and strike a chord among sympathizers.
In a new video released Tuesday, bin Laden's voice was heard commemorating one of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers and calling on young Muslims to follow his example in martyring themselves in attacks.
It came on the heels of a video released Saturday containing the first new images of the terror movement's leader in nearly three years. It showed him urging Americans to convert to Islam and railing against capitalism, globalization and democracy as failed philosophies.
U.S. intelligence agencies are poring over bin Laden's messages, looking for clues to the 50-year-old's health and location.
The images in Saturday's video were clearly recent because bin Laden mentioned British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who took office in June. But because bin Laden's image moves for only a few minutes in the first tape and not at all in the second, questions are being raised about his health.
Militant group claims responsibility for plot
BERLIN — An Islamic militant group is claiming responsibility for a foiled bomb plot that targeted the U.S. military facility at Ramstein and sought to force Germany to close an air base that supports German troops in Afghanistan, the government said Tuesday.
The Interior Ministry, which is responsible for police and internal security, said the Web announcement by the Islamic Jihad Union was being treated as genuine by security officers. Three purported members were arrested Sept. 4 on suspicion of planning bombings in Germany.
The ministry said the attacks were aimed at pressing Germany to close its air base in Termez, Uzbekistan. The base near the Uzbek-Afghan border provides logistical support for the some 3,000 German soldiers serving in the international security force in Afghanistan.
1,300 pounds of explosives defused
ANKARA, Turkey — Police found and defused more than 1,300 pounds of explosives packed into a minibus parked near a marketplace Tuesday, thwarting what one official described as "a possible disaster."
Bomb experts said the materials were similar to those seized in the past from Kurdish separatists. Turkey accuses Kurdish rebels of smuggling hundreds of pounds of explosives into the country from neighboring Iraq, where the guerrillas have been based for decades.
![]()
Sniffer dogs led officers to the blue minibus parked in a multilevel parking lot just yards from a food market, authorities said.
Turkey, an ally of the United States, had increased security Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
Police evacuated houses and cordoned off the area, and explosives experts defused the bomb in three hours, Police Chief Ercument Yilmaz said.
Seattle Times news services
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 10:01 AM
Rebels tighten hold on Libya oil port
UPDATE - 09:29 AM
Reality leads US to temper its tough talk on Libya
UPDATE - 09:38 AM
2 Ark. injection wells may be closed amid quakes
Armed guards save Dutch couple from Somali pirates
Navy to release lewd video investigation findings

general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Electronics
just listed
American Bulldog pups NKC
Solar Panel Super Sale
***Stunning Akc POMERANIAN baby girl W/ FUL...
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
448 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming
350 - Sheriff's office unhappy with 911 dispatcher in caseworker's call
283 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
238 - Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement
227 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
206 - Oregon live game thread
155 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
93 - Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'
88
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- A wandering gene's destructive path | Book review
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- Navy fliers' love-hate relationship with water-crash survival class
