Bin Laden's Latest Warning

Guess who’s back? In a 74-second recording aired on the al-Jazeera network, Osama bin Laden warned that American captives in the hands of al Qaeda will be killed if the United States executes alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other members of al Qaeda in U.S. custody. “The White House has expressed its desire to execute [Mohammed],” bin Laden reportedly said, according to a translation. “The day America makes that decision will be the day it has issued a death sentence for any one of you that is taken captive.” U.S. officials dismissed the threat as it is unsurprising Americans captured by al Qaeda would be treated poorly—and al Qaeda is not believed to have any U.S.-born prisoners at this time. The recording comes in the midst of talks on how prosecutions of accused terrorists should move forward.