The text was published a year after the attacks staged by alQaeda in 2001
TikTok users are posting their reactions after reading for the first time a 2002 letter from Osama bin Laden detailing his reasons for the September 11 attacks the previous year. In the comments, people commented on the arguments used including the question of Palestine. The letter’s resurgence comes at a time when Israel is waging war against Hamas and carrying out multiple attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Tiktokers cited the translation of the text from Arabic into English, which was published on the website of the British newspaper The Guardian. The document was removed on Wednesday (11/15/2023) after it went viral. However, users can still access the document through websites that retrieve previous versions of Internet pages. Here is the full letter (PDF 75 kB), published by The Guardian.
Among the parts commented on on the social network were those in which Bin Laden spoke about Israel and Palestine. One of the excerpts states that “the creation and survival of Israel is one of the greatest crimes” ever committed. “And of course there is no need to explain and prove the level of American support for Israel,” it continued. “Any person whose hands have been tainted by involvement in this crime will have to pay a price, and a price to pay dearly,” he added.
Then there are excerpts about Palestine: “It makes us laugh and cry when we see that you have not yet tired of repeating your fabricated lies that the Jews have a historic right to Palestine, as stated in the Torah was promised.” [livro sagrado do judaísmo]“.
According to the document, the Palestinians are “pure Arabs and original Semites.” They “are heirs of Moses (peace be upon him) and the heirs of the true Torah, which has not been changed.” Bin Laden spoke about how the oppression of Palestine should be “avenged.”
Referring to the fight against imperialism and Western hegemony, he said: “It is the American people who pay the taxes that finance the planes that bomb us in Afghanistan, the tanks that attack and destroy our homes in Palestine, the armies that occupy our country in the Persian Gulf and the fleets that guarantee the blockade of Iraq”.
An excerpt from the letter states: “The blood shed in Palestine must be equally avenged. They must know that Palestinians do not cry alone; their wives do not become widows alone; Your children will not become orphans alone.”
Many users say that reading the socalled “Letter to America” opened their eyes. Some say they are surprised to agree with some of the points made by bin Laden.
Check out some of the videos posted on TikTok:
@kianaleroux 🇵🇸 #lettertoamerica ♬ Original sound Kiana Leröux 🌙
@uma.charan I was born a year before 9/11, but we all know that since it was taught in schools. I don’t agree with the violence used, but what do you expect from people who are cornered? Your whole country is stabilizing and people are dying in the millions. The US lust for power is poisonous, the root of all evil. I think people should read this letter from a nondefensive perspective. The truth is that I am very openminded when it comes to religion, which is why my mind has failed me a little. But I encourage everyone to read this letter because it just shows how everything is connected. Every single thing. I also encourage you to read up on Congo too. Congo is bleeding and we need to talk about it. There has been a lot of information to absorb in the last few weeks #lettertoamerica #foryourpage #freepalestine #freepalestine🇵🇸❤️ #usa #congo #sudan #genocide ♬ Stargazing (Slowed + Reverb) Marcelo De Carvalho
@lex_does_digital #stitch with @Alexis Miller so yeah, what are your key takeaways from this? Let’s talk about this! #lettertoamerica #deconstruction #community #unity ♬ Original sound Alexis Miller
@sybabyx #Stitch with @Lynette Adkins PLEASE read it… I’m at a loss for words. #lettertoamerica #israel #palestine #conspiracy #freepalestine #awakening #spiritualtiktok ♬ Original sound Sybabyx 🧿
In the last 24 hours, thousands of TikToks (at least) have been posted in which people talk about how they just read bin Laden’s infamous “Letter to America,” in which he explained why he attacked the United States.
The TikToks come from people of all ages, races, ethnicities and… pic.twitter.com/EwjiGtFEE3
Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 16, 2023