Christina Lamb The Daily Telegraph; with files from The Associated Press

Sunday, November 17, 2002

KABUL -- A new cache of chilling al-Qaida training videos has been discovered in Afghanistan in which terrorists speaking English simulate the seizure of what appears to be a building full of Westerners, suggesting a hotel might be Osama bin Laden's next target.

The discovery of the tapes, which are being analysed by the CIA, comes amid warnings from western governments to expect new attacks. They follow the release of a taped message last Tuesday in which Osama bin Laden specifically mentioned Britain, Canada and other U.S. allies as al-Qaida targets.

One of the videos seen by The Sunday Telegraph shows heavily armed masked fighters scaling down from the roof of a large building on ropes and jumping through windows clutching grenades. Al-Qaida members playing the role of hostages scream -- like they are meant to represent women and children -- as they are herded together and hit with the butts of rifles while shots are fired into the air.

The cameraman can be heard laughing.

The "hostages" give their commands in English, shouting "Move!" "Stop!" "Go!", while the people playing the role of hostages scream, also in English, "Oh God!" and "Don't hurt me!"

Later, the hostages are moved onto the roof and executed. The hostage takers then pretend to throw their bodies to the ground.

"Anyone with a military background can see this is not just a general training exercise, but clearly planning for an actual operation with a specific location in mind," one military analyst said. "They know exactly what they are aiming for."

A second equally graphic video shows a series of room service assassinations. In each case, a terrorist knocks on the door calling "room service" in English. When the door opens, the guest is shot in the face.

Meanwhile, a statement attributed to al-Qaida leaders has threatened more attacks in New York City and Washington unless the U.S. stops supporting Israel and converts to Islam, an Arab TV reporter who received the unsigned document said yesterday.

Yosri Fouda, a correspondent for the satellite station Al Jazeera, said he received the six-page document Wednesday.

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2002