The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Osama Bin Laden’s home videos

Extraordinary tapes released by the Pentagon.

By Jonathan Derbyshire Published 08 May 2011 10:07

We know that Osama Bin Laden didn't have satellite television or an internet connection at his compound in Abbottabad. But it seems he did, at least, have a small portable set and a video machine. In one of five videos (without sound) released yesterday by the Pentagon, a grey-haired, frail-looking Bin Laden is shown watching himself on television.

In his essay in the current issue of the New Statesman, Olivier Roy emphasises the centrality of the visual image to al-Qaeda's strategy:

Al-Qaeda always needs a mise-en-scène – the volunteer for death filming himself before carrying out an action, the execution of hostages in front of the camera . . . The staging is then taken up, for free, by the media: rolling coverage of the attack on the World Trade Center, front pages for any attack in which innocent westerners are killed. This mirror effect exacerbates public frear and gives an apocalyptic dimension to al-Qaeda action.

The Pentagon videos give that "mirror effect" a final turn.

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Tags: Osama Bin Laden

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13 comments

Sun, 2011-05-15 21:48 — Lou (not verified)

Just a thought - and it's a serious question too - why no evidence of kidney dialysis or dialysis machines at the compound? Bin Laden was widely reproted post 01 by both the US and Pakistan to have kidney disease and be on kidney dialysis and supposedly purchased two machines in 2001. So where were they in this compound? Why no mention of them at all?

Sun, 2011-05-08 10:39 — swatantra nandanwar

Of course the released tapes by the Penatgon have been highly 'selective', but the general impression is that ofbin Laden was a sad old man, a bit loose in the head, fabricating a war of terror from his slumdog bedroom.
That is the truth of the matter. He was not the iconic figure that the West built up of him an islamic messihanic figure. It was the West that built up that image and many of his lunatic followers bought into that image. In truth, the 'emporer' has no clothes they are now saying.
So lets talk less about this war on terror, because every time we do we build them up; lets talk more about the criminal mind that is engaged in this attack on decent society.

Sun, 2011-05-08 11:17 — Siraj Datoo (not verified)

One of the most interesting points for me is how people still call it the war on terror when, since end-2009, Obama changed the name to the 'War against al-Qaeda' and hasn't, as far as I know, called it the war against terror in a while. It gives an actual target.

But I agree with Swatantra, he wasn't an iconic figure and time will tell what impact this will have.

Tue, 2011-05-10 17:36 — RK (not verified)

Swatantra, 12th September 2001 Park Circus Kolkata India, I witnessed celebrations by 100+ Muslims. And each one of them thought Osama is next messiah.

Blaming the west, all the time is foolish.

Sun, 2011-05-08 12:18 — Homo Sapiens

I can understand the usefulness of this video to US progaganda. I do not understand what purpose it might have had for Osama Bin Laden. Any ideas?

Sun, 2011-05-08 13:20 — jasser (not verified)

http://al-amry15.blogspot.com/2011/05/watch-your-manners.html

Sun, 2011-05-08 15:05 — Mrs Nobody

@swatantra nandanwar
What about the millions of civilian deaths in the first and second Gulf Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? The also were innocent yet rarely are considered in the West.
Violence begets violence.

Sun, 2011-05-08 23:56 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

One of the videos showed him on the toilet playing a gameboy!

Tue, 2011-05-10 03:23 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

He DID get delivered weekly. Nobody seems to care about the goat breeder supplying him. Not one mention of his poor plight in the press. Who is he going to sell his kid goats to now?

Tue, 2011-05-10 23:54 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Osama has risen from the dead.

Mon, 2011-05-09 07:54 — Luddite (not verified)

Our war against Islamic terrorism will not be won, until all western governments end all political, financial, and cultural links with the terrorist sponsoring failed state of Pakistan.

Mon, 2011-05-09 11:05 — Stu (not verified)

If thats a luxury compound then f'me he got ripped off by the builder or the interior decor designer... however, if he was draped in gold and silver and a proper luxury 50" TV, leather sofa... his followers might think... wtf?! we pay for this? whilst we live in rabbit warrens?(just a joke...)

The point is image, propaganda, you let people see what you want them to see. It's no different in both cultures.