Mohammed Jassim Al-Ali, Director General of Al-Jazeera
Arab TV has released this statement:

"Al-Jazeera denounces the fact that CNN resorts to such illegal ways to obtain this tape. Al-Jazeera would have expected CNN to use its judgment and respect its special relationship with Al-Jazeera by not airing material that Al-Jazeera itself chose not to broadcast."

"Al-Jazeera does not feel it is obligated to explain its
position and its reasoning of why it chose not to air the
interview. Al-Jazeera will nonetheless respond to CNN's
airing of the interview using its own means and its own way."

"Furthermore, Al-Jazeera will sever its relationship with
CNN and will take the necessary action to punish the
organizations and individuals who stole this video and
distributed it illegally."

CNN responded to Al Jazeera's statement by saying that it committed no crimes in it's attainment, or airing of the new Bin Laden tape.

CNN claims that the tape is very newsworthy, and that Al Jazeera claims of it's lack of newsworthiness was untrue.
CNN goes on to claim that it had contractual rights with
Al Jazeera to air whatever it chooses.

This tape could further support I-Spy-Online's earlier story which hypothesized AL Jazeera was under the influence of Osama Bin Laden.

We should be wondering why a supposed unbiased news agency would edit and not release important and damning exerpts of Osama Bin Laden statements. Is Al Jazeera manipulating the Arab world? 

© Arlene Longson 2002