In a statement released to many jihadist forums, al Qaeda has confirmed that its leader, Osama bin Laden, is dead.
According to SITE Intelligence Group, an organizations that monitors Islamist websites, the al Qaeda statement glorified Bin Laded and threatened retaliatory attacks on the United States were in the making. The statement also reached out to Pakistanis to “rise up and revolt.”
SITE’s translation of the statement echoed what many American politicians have been emphasizing since Sunday’s raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan; that bin Laden’s death does not mark the end of al Qaeda.
It said al Qaeda will “continue on the path of jihad, the path walked upon by our leaders” and that Americans “will never enjoy security until our people in Palestine enjoy it.”
“Soon, with help from Allah, their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with tears. [Bin Laden’s death] is a curse that chases Americans and their agents, and goes after them inside and outside their countries,” the statement read.
The statement continued,” We will not deviate from that or change until Allah judges between us and between our enemy with truth. Indeed, He is the best of all judges. Nothing will harm us after that, until we see either victory and success and conquest and empowerment, or we die trying.”