On March 12, the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) published an item titled "Coming Soon: 'Very Important Letter' from Khalid Bin Laden, Son of Usama," stating that the Global Islamic Media Front had announced that it would soon be publishing a "very important letter" from Khalid Bin Laden, one of Usama Bin Laden's sons (see http://www.memrijttm.org/content/en/blog_personal.htm?id=3061¶m=GJN%29l).[1]
The letter was released today by the Global Islamic Media Front. Dated "Friday, Muharram 16, 1431 (1/1/2010)," it is addressed "to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran" regarding "Subject: A demand for the release of my family imprisoned in Iran."
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The following is the letter, in the original English:
"A Very Important Letter
"From Sheikh Khalid b. Usama b. Ladin – may Allah protect him
"Regarding the Imprisonment of Some Members of the Family in Iran
"In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
"All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.
"From: Khalid b. Usama b. Ladin to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran.
"Subject: A demand for the release of my family imprisoned in Iran.
"Date: Friday, Muharram 16, 1431 (1/1/2010)
"You have heard the words of my two brothers, Abdur-Rahman and Umar about the imprisonment of some of my family members in Iran as well as their demand to release them. Now I, as well, third their demand and reconfirm their presence in Iran. After the Crusader attack on Afghanistan which centered around targeting specifically the Arab families amongst others, especially at its onset, they were forced to enter Iran through unofficial means, and most of those who did were women and children.
"One year after their arrival in Iran, the Iranian intelligence rounded them up. When we heard of this, we wrote to the Iranian government a number of times and even used scholars and other influential people to mediate their release, promising that they would never return to Iran, but all these efforts were of no use. Finally, my sister Iman was able to flee from detention and sought refuge in the Riyadh Embassy in Tehran a few weeks ago. After my two brothers were able to confirm her presence in the embassy, I was surprised that the foreign minister had not known her identity, stating that he had no idea how she entered Iran and how she arrived at the embassy. He had also previously stated that there were no members of my family present in Iran, despite the fact that they have been in custody there for several years. This is a difficult matter to understand. If the minister had referred to the case of my two brothers with the intelligence, he would have known the details of this sad story, and he would have come to know that my brother Sa'd had also escaped, alone, and informed us of the true story: that they requested a number of times to leave Iran, only to be beaten and silenced. If only the intelligent and just had looked into the what he told us of the tragedy and hardships experienced by our families in the prisons and detention centers, which in turn has led to the spread of emotional and psychological disorders amongst the women and children, they would without doubt initiate efforts to release them as soon as possible to relieve this great suffering. Was their only sin that they emigrated in Allah's Cause seeking His Pleasure? Wasn't their weakness, the pursuit of international forces of disbelief after them, and their being foreigners in a strange land away from their homes and families enough? To Allah we complain, and He is Sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs.
"In conclusion, we are waiting for the release of our weak and oppressed families in your custody and to the destination of their choice. We hope we will this in the next few hours, and we ask Allah to make them a way out and near relief.
"May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions. And our final prayer is that none is worthy of worthy except Allah, the Lord of all that exists.
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"Translated by the Global Islamic Media Front
لا تنسونا من صالح دعائكم
"Don't Forget Us in Your Sincere Prayers
إخوانكم في
"Your Brothers at
الجبهة الإعلامية الإسلامية العالمية
رَصدٌ لأخبَار المُجَاهدِين وَ تَحرِيضٌ للمُؤمِنين
"Global Islamic Media Front
"Observing the Mujahideen News and Inciting the Believers"
Endnote:
[1] The spellings of names in this report are consistent with the spellings in the letter.
