High court orders release of radical preacher Qatada

    The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, last night expressed her “extreme disappointment” at the decision yesterday by three high court judges to order the release of the radical preacher Abu Qatada, who has been described as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe. Qatada, who was still in Long Lartin maximum security prison in Worcestershire last…

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      Airline bomb plot ‘dedicated to Bin Laden’

      One of the eight men accused of a plot to blow up transatlantic flights dedicated his actions to Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, a court heard today. The 19-minute “martyrdom” video of Umar Islam, 29, was played to the jury at Woolwich crown court. Wearing a black and white checked headscarf,…

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        Interview with U.S. Author Steve Coll: ‘Osama bin Laden is Planning Something for the US Election’

        US author Steve Coll spent years looking into Osama bin Laden’s family. Now, his new book provides a unique insight into the clan. SPIEGEL spoke with him about where the terrorist might be hiding, how his father got his start, and the unique romantic liasons pursued by one of his brothers. SPIEGEL: Mr. Coll, Osama…

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        Bin Laden Threatens Europe Over Mohammed Cartoons

        In his most recent audio recording, Osama bin Laden warned Europe of a reckoning for publishing controversial cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. In the message, which was addressed to intelligent ones, bin Laden said that the publishing of the insulting drawings was a greater crime than Western forces targeting Muslim villages, and killing women and…

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          Italy takes al Qaeda’s Pope threat seriously

          Security officials in Italy are treating Osama’ bin Laden’s new accusations against Pope Benedict very seriously. An interior minister spokesperson said that security and anti-terrorism officials plan to meet and examine the taped message, in which the Al Qaeda leader said that offending cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad were part of a new crusade involving…

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