Ayman Al-Zawahiri; Is it Really him? - Let's Analyze

So Al-Qaeda has released a new video (finally!!!) And something struck me odd about the appearance of Al-Zawahiri, he seemed not only to have lost weight...(I certainly hope he did, living on the run, shouldn't be easy), But he also got significantly lighter in complexion.

This is the current Al-Zawahiri from today's video


And this is the Al-Zawahiri we know of from past videos:




Now I'm not saying I know what is going on here, but this new image just screams at me for some odd reason. It could be that Al-Zawahiri has just gotten lighter because of living in colder climates? It could be that perhaps due to a significant loss of blood and severe health issues (he was allegedly injured in one of our operations) his complexion could have changed.

I don't know, so that's why I ask, is there something odd going on here?
I can't find another still of the new video to really compare the dent in the forehead that Zawahiri has and so I ask you to help me analyze this.

[edit on 8-4-2005 by worldwatcher]

His beard has also become substantially more gray as well. I could say that certain agencies that will go unnamed are using look-alikes to make these videos for their own nefarious reasons.......................but I won't.

Peace

Old Al-Zawahiri: rugged freedom fighter used to living outdoors in hot climates.

New Al-Zawahiri: hunted terrorist reduced to hiding in cellars and moving only at night.

If the entire combined intelligence agencies of the western world were hunting my a$$, I'd look a little haggard too........

All work and no play make Ayman a dull boy.........

[edit on 4-8-2005 by Pyros]

It's not just the looking skinnier part, that is expected. But something in the face itself, the eyebrows perhaps..i don't know.

I also found this, while looking for stills of the newest video
www.homelandsecurityus.com...

and here's another still from the new video:


[edit on 8-4-2005 by worldwatcher]

Looks like a hollywood makeup job to me . The features look sort of fake to me as well. ..I am reminded of Eddie murphy in Coming to America.




[edit on 4-8-2005 by phoenixhasrisin]

I think the difference in his appearance is partly due to a couple of reasons. The latest video appears to be shot outdoors or at least with more natural lighting and is slighty blurred, perhaps due to wind or sand, or a lower quality camera.

Also, the black turban in the latest video provides a greater contrast against his skin. I believe its him and I don't think its altered, I think the lighting and blurred quality help add to the illusion of appearing much lighter.

I just saw a clip on CNN and have to agree with the above, it looks like the outside lighting. On a side note, How many #2, & #3 men does Al-Queda have?

I confess that this is the first time I have ever heard of Al Whatsit, the right hand man to Tony Blair, but even though we find that terrorism is no laughing matter, the Yahoo article on 'Good old Al' had us cracking up. . . . .I don't know, there is just something Monty Python about it. . . . . . even down to him saying that "Tony Blair will be responsible for the bombings". . . . . . . like maybe this is the literal truth.

PS "caution, considered armed and dangerous" . . . . too much!




[edit on 4-8-2005 by Roy Robinson Stewart]

lol phoexixhasrisin, it does sort of look like an Eddie Murphy makeup job.

and thanks for the explanation regarding the lighting guys, it is plausible that it's simply the lighting that is causing the drastic complexion change. I still can't get a clear shot of that birthmark/dent on his though...it's not as prominent in this new video as it is on his older pictures.

I think the picture looks washed out because of the lighting, I'm sure it is the same person.

its him since hes got that stupid mark on his forhead. not to mention feeling comfortable that he aint being hunted so he is living a prince life. in anicase its him.

I kinda think that this is still on-topic, hopefully you'll bear with me a bit: I'm sure on the BBC Radio 4 'Today' program on the way home tonight I heard the translation of the tape distinctly refer to OBL as 'The Lion of Islam', (I freely accept that I have a Lion thing, but maybe that's why the phrase stuck with me) ...

Thing is, I can't now find that phrase in any of the transcripts that have appeared online. Clearly this post is now in some jeopardy, but there appear to be two options: - either I'm wrong and I imagined it - which is fine, I'll just get my coat, or I did hear it, and if I did - does it mark a departure from the regular AQ narrative and could that suggest any conclusions as to it's validity, or otherwise.

I'll show my ignorance here:
#1. Is the use of an honorific in use in Islamic address ?
#2. Could it be intended to resonate with the honorific 'Lion of God' given to Ali ibn Abi Talib ?
#3. Isn't that a bit less than expeidient, given the err, tensions between the Sunni and Shi'a communities ?
#4. Am I talking rubbish?

I think a better question would be.. Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?

It's been ages since he's address the West with threats of death and destruction in the name of Islam..

0951,

Usama means "lion" in Arabic.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
0951,
Usama means "lion" in Arabic.

Ah, thank you.



[Edit at 2221 to avoid hogging/spamming the thread]

Ok, another thought - The translation here runs:

"What you have seen, O Americans, in New York and Washington and the losses you are having in Afghanistan and Iraq, in spite of all the media blackout, are only the losses of the initial clashes.

If you continue the same policy of aggression against Muslims, God willing, you will see the horror that will make you forget what you had seen in Vietnam."

On the surface one could read it as a fairly direct and simple threat to the US, but read it again ...
What is this last bit really intended to mean I wonder ?

"The same policy of aggression" - as what ? as the US are using 'now' against Muslims (not my subjective opinion btw, it's just an extrapolation of the above statement), or a US adoption of an analogous policy to that which was levied against New York and Washington ?

-- and --

Is this the horror inflicted to, or by the Americans in Vietnam ?
Is this the horror that the US would have seen occur between the N and S Vietnamese themselves ?
Is this ambiguity a result of the translation - would the original narrative not have this ?
Am I reading too much into this ?



[edit on 4-8-2005 by 0951]

Originally posted by worldwatcher
So Al-Qaeda has released a new video (finally!!!)

Oh! I haven't seen it yet! Don't tell me how it ends!

Here's another pic from the June 17th video. Looks like the same lumpy forehead, but he does look a bit tired and strung out. Terrorism's hard work.



[edit on 4-8-2005 by Benevolent Heretic]

thanks guys, you may all be right and i'm just looking too hard
but if anyone can, I would like a better picture of the knot on his forehead from the newest video, I can't really see the same thing on the new one, perhaps it's too washed out, but his dent doesn't seems so pronounced now.

Take a look at the mark on his forehead on the first two pics and then look at the third, thats him.

Originally posted by XphilesPhan
Take a look at the mark on his forehead on the first two pics and then look at the third, thats him.

Yes, it is the first thing that you would simulate if you wanted to pass off the Al-Zawahiri du jour.

Thank God for the internet, which allows hundreds of channels for obfuscation and arguing over the minutiae while me all miss the big picture.

How could anyone possibly be "sure" this is the same person from the evidence in this thread?

It does not matter a damn whether this is Al-Zawahiri or not. What is more significant is the timing, the purpose, and how this piece of propaganda is now to be used. The P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act is in trouble, the Bush administration is sending America further down the toilet with each passing hour while its hides and its profits remain intact, and the cheerleading still goes on with each appearance of a bogeyman delivering renewed "threats".

The recently released video showing Ayman Al-Zawahiri has been authenticated: the image of Ayman Al-Zawahiri is the real Ayman Al-Zawahiri.





seekerof