(CNN) -- On Thursday night,
CNN aired parts of an interview with Osama bin Laden that the
Arabic-language television network Al-Jazeera recorded in late October.
Al-Jazeera said it didn't air the tape because it wasn't newsworthy, and
announced Thursday it was severing its relationship with CNN, claiming
the interview was stolen and aired illegally. CNN disputes that.
CNN's
Paula Zahn discussed the tape Friday with CNN terrorism analyst
Peter Bergen, who has been studying bin Laden and his operation
for several years.
CNN: Before we
talk about the substance of this tape, let's once again talk about
Al-Jazeera. At first, Al-Jazeera .... denied that it even existed.
Then they came out and said they never aired it because it wasn't
newsworthy. Well, you've seen this tape. Is maybe a more rational
explanation that they didn't want to air this because it was so
indicting?
BERGEN: You know,
I'm frankly very puzzled. This was the only television interview
that bin Laden ever gave and, frankly, if he was reading out of the
telephone book it would be newsworthy. And the fact is that there is
quite a lot of -- it is very indicting. I mean, on a couple of
occasions, he basically seems to take responsibility for the events
of 9-11. He sort of ducks the question of anthrax. But this is all
very interesting.
So frankly I'm just perplexed why they chose not to air it. I mean
I'm not privy to all the facts of the case, but it's a very puzzling
episode.
CNN: The U.S. government also obtained this independently. So
what was the incentive in holding this back from the American
public?
BERGEN: Well, Paula, I mean, again, I'm just really, really
perplexed. Al-Jazeera bills its reputation as being a sort of
independent broadcaster in the Middle East, different from some of
the other broadcasters that are basically government entities.
Perhaps they came under some pressure from their own government, the
government of Qatar, not to broadcast this.
But I think there's some facts that we don't know yet which will
elucidate this funny and rather strange episode.
CNN: Many Islamic analysts have suggested that Osama bin
Laden has always distorted the Muslim faith. What do you make of his
continued (statements that) it's permissible under Islamic law for
innocents to kill other innocents?
BERGEN: Well, it's just ludicrous. I'm not an Islamic
scholar. But I mean there's nothing -- and the Koran is very, very
explicit about -- even if you accept the dubious premise that
somehow this holy war was justified -- civilians are off-limits in
any kind of war as far as the Koran and as far as Islamic traditions
are concerned. This is a very unusual interpretation. It cannot be
justified in Islam.
CNN: The last interview you did with bin Laden was back in
1997. How different was the Osama bin Laden we saw in this tape, the
interview taped late in October of 2001?
BERGEN: He's actually quite similar. I mean, in terms of his
demeanor and his voice -- these kinds of things are quite similar.
The big difference is that he's aged enormously between '97 and
October of last year.
This is a man who was clearly not well. I mean, as you see from
these pictures here, he's really, by December he's looking pretty
terrible. But by December, of course, that tape that was aired then,
he's barely moving the left side of his body. So he's clearly got
diabetes. He has low blood pressure. He's got a wound in his foot.
He's apparently got dialysis ... for kidney problems.
I mean, this is a man who has a number of health problems, apart
from the fact that anybody running around the Afghan mountains is
not going to be in great shape.
CNN: And, of course, the question that people continue to
debate is not only is he not well, is he still alive today? Peter
Bergen, thank you very much for coming along to share your insights
with us this morning.
CNN's
Paula Zahn discussed the tape Friday with CNN terrorism analyst
Peter Bergen, who has been studying bin Laden and his operation
for several years.