“Osama bin Laden portrayed the American military campaign in Afghanistan as a war against Islam, saying in a videotaped speech broadcast today [November 3, 2001] that the Afghan people had done nothing to deserve such an onslaught. In addition, bin Laden used his first statement in nearly a month to denounce as infidels Muslim leaders who cooperate with the United Nations, accusing them of working with an organization that he said undermines Islamic interests.”
– Neil MacFarquhar and Jim Rutenberg, “Bin Laden, in a Taped Speech, Says Attacks in Afghanistan are a War Against Islam,” The New York Times, Nov. 4, 2001