Tube bomber declares war from the grave

Key points

• London bomber and al-Qaeda leader promise more attacks in videos

• Bomber Khan claims there are thousands more like him

• Mohammad Sidique Khan detonated bomb on Circle Line train on July 7

Key quote

"Our words have no impact upon you, therefore I'm going to talk to you in a language that you understand. Our words are dead until we give them life with our blood" - Mohammad Sidique Khan

Story in full THE suspected ringleader of the 7 July London suicide bombers was last night apparently shown calmly explaining his reasons behind the attacks in a chilling video that included praise for the bombings from al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri.

Mohammad Sidique Khan, who detonated explosives on a Circle Line train, claimed that the bombings in London and in Madrid in 2004 had been the fault of Western citizens, and that he was a soldier at war.

Delivering his message in a slow, calm tone and with a distinct Yorkshire accent, Khan warned: "Now you too will taste the reality of this situation."

The video, recorded as a final message before his suicide attack, sees the teaching assistant tell the public they would be targeted again in future. "Our words are dead until we give them life with our blood," he said.

Khan also said on the tape he was inspired by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the reputed leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu-Musab al Zarqawi.

The bomber is shown wearing a red-and-white checked "keffiyeh" and a dark green, hooded jacket. He appears with a trimmed beard and is sitting against a wall lined with a striped red and beige carpet.

The 30-year-old suicide bomber, who killed six people on the train at Edgware Road, can be seen fiddling with a pen and glancing at notes.

Last night it was not clear how long before Khan's death the tape had been made, or where, but it represents another propaganda coup for al-Qaeda.

Al Jazeera presented Khan and al-Qaeda deputy al-Zawahri in separate segments of videotaped statements, which the network described as a claim of responsibility from al-Qaeda for the blasts on London's transport system which killed 52 people.

Al-Zawahiri, who appears in black turban and white robes with a weapon leaning against the wall beside him, promises similar attacks in the future. He threatens more attacks in Europe and refers to a so-called offer of a truce with the West.

Al-Zawahri said: "Blair not only disregards the millions of people in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he does not care about you as he sends you to the inferno in Iraq and exposes you to death in your land because of his Crusader war against Islam."

He added: "I talk to you today about the blessed London battle which came as a slap to the face of the tyrannical, Crusader British arrogance. It's a sip from the glass that the Muslims have been drinking from."

Security analysts last night claimed that the latest video may have been put together by Osama bin Laden sympathisers in an attempt to allow him to use the atrocity as a propaganda tool.

Former US intelligence officer Bob Ayers, based in London, said Zawahri's comments could have been stitched together with Khan's tape.

"One possibility for the delay in releasing this video is that al-Qaeda may have been trying to look for a way for their leaders to retrospectively claim some credit for this attack," he said.

"It might explain why the video also later shows Zawahri, it allows them to use the acts of people they may not have been involved with. They can use the bombings to again push Tony Blair on the issue of Iraq."

On 4 August, the four-week anniversary of the bombings, al-Zawahri also blamed Mr Blair for the attacks in a tape released via Al Jazeera. He then said: "Blair has brought to you destruction in central London and he will bring more of that."

In four bombings on the London transport system on 7 July, 56 people were killed, including the four suicide bombers.

Last night, the video was condemned by politicians, Muslim groups and the relatives of victims.

Downing Street and the Foreign Office refused to comment on the video.

The Conservative Party's shadow home secretary, David Davis, however, said: "Nothing can justify the murder of innocent people. People across Britain will be sickened by this video."

The Liberal Democrat Party's home affairs spokesman, Mark Oaten, said there can be "no justification for the bombings that took place in London".

He continued: "Britain's involvement in the war in Iraq is no excuse for Muslim extremism. However, it would be wrong for the government to deny that Muslim communities feel a sense of unease about our involvement in Iraq."

Dr Azzam Tamimi, of the Muslim Association of Britain, said he believed the tapes confirmed beyond doubt the linking of the London bombings to al-Qaeda.

"If the tape is genuine, and they appear genuine, then this proves what we have been saying all along," he said. "The involvement of Britain in the war in Iraq has provided Osama Bin Laden with extra ammunition to recruit these young Britons and brainwash them."

He said he found Khan's words in the tape "horrific".

Meanwhile, the Muslim boyfriend of one of the London bomb victims condemned the terrorists' broadcasts as "wrong and all lies". Gous Ali's girlfriend Neetu Jain, a Hindu, who was killed in the explosion on the No 30 bus in Tavistock Square, said: "I just want to go on national television myself and expose their lies.

"It's all brainwashing by some wacko scholar who believes his own version of the Koran and has made it his own battle. There is no holy war. They have so much coverage it's damaging, yet the voices of the innocent victims are not being heard."

The husband of one victim said he did not think it was necessarily in the public interest to air the tape in the UK.

Osborne Agwu, whose wife Ojara Ikeagwu, 55, died near King's Cross, said: "I personally don't share the view that freedom of speech should be extended that far, it just gives them further publicity."

Scotland Yard last night said it knew of the tape. A spokeswoman said: "It will form part of our ongoing investigation."

THE TRANSCRIPT

A transcript of the comments made by suicide bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan in the video aired by al-Jazeera last night:

I'M GOING to keep this short and to the point because it's all been said before by far more eloquent people than me, and our words have no impact upon you.

Therefore, I'm going to talk to you in a language that you understand. Our words are dead until we give them life with our blood.

I'm sure by now the media's painted a suitable picture of me. Its predictable propaganda machine naturally will try to put a spin on things to suit the government and to scare the masses into conforming to their power, wealth-obsessed agendas.

I and thousands like me are forsaking everything for what we believe. Our drive and motivation doesn't come from tangible commodities that this world has to offer.

Our religion is Islam, obedience to the one true God Allah and following the footsteps of the final prophet messenger.

This is how our ethical stances are dictated. Your democratically elected governments continuously perpetuate atrocities against my people all over the world. And your support of them makes you directly responsible, just as I am directly responsible for protecting and avenging my Muslim brothers and sisters.

Until we feel security, you will be our targets and until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation.

I myself, I make duaa (pray) to Allah ... [garbled] ... to raise me amongst those whom I love like the prophets, the messengers, the martyrs and today's heroes like our beloved Sheikh Osama bin Laden, Dr Ayman al-Zawahri and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and all the other brothers and sisters that are fighting in the ... [garbled] ... of this cause.

With this I leave you to make up your own minds and I ask you to make duaa to Allah almighty to accept the work from me and my brothers and enter us into gardens of paradise.