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The Saudi millionaire had been living in exile in Afghanistan and the Taliban religious army, which rules most of the country, has until now refused to let him make public statements. Here, for the first time, is the entire transcript, translated from Arabic.

Question: You have been charged with masterminding the bombings of the two U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Are these charges true?

Bin Laden: Praise be to God , the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds. Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, his companions and his kin. Let me begin by stating that we, in the World Islamic Front for jihad against Jews and Crusaders, have, by the grace of God Almighty, issued a crystal clear fatwa calling on the Nation to carry on jihad aimed at liberating Islamic holy sites, and the Ancient House (The Holy Ka’aba), and Al-Aksa Mosque and all Islamic lands.

By the grace of God, Praise and Glory be to him; this Nation, the Nation of Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, has responded to this appeal and this instigation. We will continue this course because it is a part of our religion, and because God, Praise and Glory be to him, ordered us to carry out jihad so that the word of God may remain exalted to the heights. If the instigation for jihad against the Jews and the Americans, in order to liberate Al-Aksa Mosque, and the Holy Ka’aba, is considered a crime, let history be a witness that I am a criminal.
You warned that Americans would die. Then, two months later, the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar As Salaam were bombed. Were these bombings because of your fatwa (decree) against America?
Bin Laden: By the Grace of God, Praise and Glory be to him, we have repeatedly issued warnings, over a number of years. Following these warnings and these calls, anti-American explosions took place in a number of Islamic countries. Most probably, these acts came about as a result of such calls and warnings. But only God knows the truth.
If the targets of jihads are Americans, how can the deaths of so many Africans be justified?
Bin Laden: This question pre-supposes that it is me who carried out these explosions. My answer is that I understand the motives of the brothers who carry out acts of jihad against the enemies of the nation, namely the Americans and their supporters.

Killing of Muslims Would be Justified
Suppose that the Americans have attacked an Islamic country and kidnapped my children, the children of Osama bin Laden, to use as a shield, and then started to kill Muslims as is the case in Lebanon, Palestine, and these days in Iraq, and also when they supported the Serbs in massacring the Muslims in Bosnia. According to Islamic jurisprudence if we abstain from firing on the Americans lest we should kill these Muslims (used by them as shields), the harm that could befall Muslims at large, who are being attacked, outweighs the good of saving the lives of these Muslims used as a shields.

This means that in a case like this, when it becomes apparent that it would be impossible to repel these Americans without assaulting them, even if this involved the killing of Muslims, this is permissible under Islam. That is why I do understand the motives of those who carried out these acts. However, radio reports said that most of those killed were members of the American Embassy in Nairobi, which housed the largest C.I.A center in the African continent. We do understand what happened. Many people were saddened by the death of some innocent people outside the embassy building.
The U.S. has also said, in formal charges, that you are in a position to develop chemical weapons and try to purchase nuclear material for weapons. How would such weapons be used?
Bin Laden: This is a multi-dimensional question. It presupposes that I do possess such weapons, and goes on to ask about the way in which we will use them. In answer I would say that acquiring weapons for the defense of Muslims is a religious duty.

To seek to possess the weapons that could counter those of the infidels is a religious duty. If I have indeed acquired these weapons, then this is an obligation I carried out and I thank God for enabling us to do that. And if I seek to acquire these weapons I am carrying out a duty. It would be a sin for Muslims not to try to possess the weapons that would prevent the infidels from inflicting harm on Muslims. But how we could use these weapons if we possess them is up to us.

Lies or Truth?
Muhamad Rashid Al-Owhali has told investigators that he was in your camps and at the press conference you gave last May when you promised that the deserves of fatwa would be seen within the next seven weeks. Then, he says he was given the job of going to Kenya to help carry out the Nairobi bombing. Is he lying? Is he telling the truth?
Bin Laden: As I have stated before, it is our job to instigate (unintelligible). By the Grace of God, we did that, and certain people responded to this instigation. As regards knowing those who attended the meeting referred to, I would say that the number of the brothers is large, thank God, and I do not know everyone who is with us in this base or this organization, let alone the individual Muslims who responded to the call for jihad to liberate the Ancient House (the Ka’aba) and the lands of Islam.
How would you describe the men arrested in Kenya and Tanzania? How many of them do you know?
Bin Laden: Praise be to God. What I know is that those who risked their lives to earn the pleasure of God, Praise and Glory be to him, are the real men , the true personification of the word men, They managed to rid the Islamic nation of disgrace. We highly respect them and hold them in the highest esteem, and pray to God, Praise and Glory be to him, to accept them as martyrs and permit them to intercede on behalf of their kin.
Since the bombings, the U.S. has maintained U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia and recently used them to help in the renewed air strikes in Iraq. What can the U.S. expect from you now?
Bin Laden: The American forces should expect reactions to their actions, from the Muslim world. Any thief or criminal or robber who enters the countries of others in order to steal should expect to be exposed to murder at any time.

For the American forces to expect anything from me personally reflects a very narrow perception of things. There is a nation which compromises 12,000 million Muslims. This nation is angry. The latest events have proven the great extent of the anger of Muslim masses all over the Muslim world. The American forces should expect reactions from the Muslim world which are proportionate to the injustice these forces inflict.
Can you describe the U.S. air strikes on your camps (in Afghanistan, shortly after the embassy bombings)? What did it look like there? What was the effect? And then there were rumors that you were hurt and that you are sick now. Do you have a problem like cancer?
Bin Laden: Praise be to God for good health, and the blessing of Islam. As for the American bombardment, it has only shown that the world is governed by the law of the jungle.

Before the investigations in the Nairobi explosion, and even on the same day when the person in charge of the investigation team traveled to Nairobi to complete the investigation, an Islamic country, namely Afghanistan, was bombarded without any justification. That brutal, treacherous attack killed a number of civilian Muslims in the province of Bachtiary.

Some of our camps suffered minor damage. You personally have visited the camp and know that. Seven of our brothers were killed. These include three from Yemen, namely brother Bashir Al-Awady, brother Abu-jihad and brother Abdallah Zarif, and two from Egypt namely brother Siddik and brother Hamdi and a brother from Al-Madina Al-Munawwarah, namely Zeid bin Abdel Karim Salah Musaddakani, and another brother from Turkey.

We pray to God, Praise and Glory be to him, to accept them as martyrs. A similar number of our Pakistani brothers were also killed. Some 20-something Afghans were killed. These were living in nearby towns and villages. May God accept all of them as martyrs. As for the material damage, it was minimal. By the Grace of God, the missiles were ineffective. The raid has also proven that the American army is going down hill in its morale. Its members are too cowardly and too fearful to meet the young people of Islam face to face.
After the missile attack on your camp, you sent word to me, “The war has just begun. America should await the answer.” Since then, the U.S. has been able to prevent several attacks on U.S. embassies. What will be next?
Bin Laden: As I said before, for each action, there is a reaction. Thanks to our understanding of the Muslim nation, and our contacts with Muslim masses, we feel how angry they are at the bombardment. This anger was reflected in what took place, in the aftermath of the bombardment, all over the Islamic world.

We feel that there are strong and wide reactions. We are confident in the abilities of this Nation of Muhammad. We pray to God, Praise and Glory be to him, to help Muslims expel the Americans and Jews from Islamic countries.
Who are these men? Most of them said they were in your camps and inspired by your messages. Some of them said they were acting directly on your behalf. Wadih el-Hage said he was once your personal assistant.

Number one, is who is Wadih el-Hage, who says he was once your personal aide? Number two is Fasil Abdul lom Harrid (phonetic) also known as Haroun Fasid? Number three is Mohamad Sadique Odeh, who told authorities that he was part of your group and was a key player in the Kenya bombing. Number four is Muhamad Rashid Al-Owhali , was says he was at your press conference on the fatwa and that he (intelligible) shortly to help with the Kenya bombing. Number five is Mamoul Saleed, who was captured in Germany. The police say he was a close associate of yours. And was he in Germany to organize an attack on the embassy?
Bin Laden: As for brother Wadih el-Hage, he is one of our brothers whom God, Praise and Glory be to him, was kind enough to steer them to the path of participating in relief work for Afghan refugees and in providing support for Muslims in Afghanistan. We pray to God, Praise and Glory be to him, to accept his good deeds. I still remember him, though I have not seen him or heard from him for many years.

He had nothing to do with the allegations attributed to him by the United States of America. As for Mr. Muhamad Rashid Al-Owhali we were informed that he is a Saudi from the province of Wajd. In your question, you said he was among those who attended my press conference. And I have already told you that I can not possibly know every one who attended that conference.

Mr. Mamdouh Fahim is a righteous Sheik, who memorizes the holy Koran and God has endowed him with a melodious voice which stirs people’s feelings when he recites from the Koran. He was our Imam in Peshawar. He had worked for a long time with Islamic relief organizations operating from Pakistan. We had a good relationship with him during that phase. He was never a member of any jihad organization. He is not a member of the base. The fact of the matter is that America, and in particular the C.I.A., wanted to cover up their failure, in the aftermath of the big events that took place in Riyadh, Khobar, Nairobi, Tanzania, Capetown, Campala, and other places, God willing, in the future.

They wanted to cover-up their failure by arresting any person who had participated, at any point in the past, in the Islamic jihad in Afghanistan. He is innocent, He has nothing to do with anything. We pray to God, Praise and Glory be to him, to end their plight, and we are confident that they will be exonerated. (Interview continues.  )