Al-Qaida may issue bin Laden video today

CAIRO, Egypt — Osama bin Laden will appear for the second time in a week in a new video to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, presenting the last will and testament of one of the suicide hijackers, al-Qaida announced Monday.

Each year, al-Qaida has released videos of last statements by hijackers on the anniversary of the 2001 attacks, using the occasion to rally its sympathizers.

But this year's releases underline how bin Laden is re-emerging to tout his leadership — whether symbolic or effective — of the jihad movement. While past anniversary videos featured old footage of bin Laden, the latest appears likely to include a newly made speech.

Bin Laden had not appeared for nearly three years until a new video was released over the weekend. In that video, he addressed the American people, telling them the war in Iraq is a failure and taking on a new anti-globalization rhetoric. He urged Americans to abandon capitalism and democracy and embrace Islam.

Al-Qaida's media arm, Al-Sahab, announced the impending second video Monday with an advertising banner posted on an Islamic militant Web forum where the group often posts its messages.

The video was likely to be released within 24 hours to coincide with Sept. 11, said Ben Venzke, head of IntelCenter, a U.S. group that monitors and analyzes militant messages.

"Coming soon, God willing, from the testaments of the martyrs of the New York and Washington attacks: The testament of the martyr Abu Musab Waleed al-Shehri, presented by Sheik Osama bin Laden, God preserve him," the banner read.

Al-Shehri was one of the hijackers on American Airlines Flight 11 that crashed into the World Trade Center's north tower.

The Web banner included a still image of bin Laden from the upcoming video. Shown raising his finger, he wears the same dyed-black beard and the same clothes — white robe and round cap and beige cloak — that he had on in the video posted on the Web on Saturday.

Saturday's video was probably filmed in early August and it is likely "that the (upcoming video) shows bin Laden in the same setting," Venzke said.

Al-Qaida's media operations have become increasingly sophisticated, as have the anniversary videos.

Last year, al-Qaida released a 55-minute documentary talking about the planning of the attacks that hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.