Al Qaeda Apologizes For Killing Muslim Innocents

The savage killings of thousands of innocent people, mostly through cowardly suicide bombings in public places including mosques and markets throughout Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan may finally be having a negative backlash against al Qaeda and the Taliban with the populations turning against them.

The American born Moslem convert Adam Gadahn, also known as Azzam the American, appeared in a 17-minute video released on Islamic online forums and offered apologies to the families of innocent people killed in al Qaeda attacks.

Gadahn said, "we express our condolences to the families of the Muslim men, women and children killed in these criminal acts and we ask Allah to have mercy on those killed and accept them as shohadaa (martyrs)."

"We also express the same in regard to the unintended Muslim victims of the mujahedeen's operations against the crusaders and their allies and puppets, and to the countless faceless and nameless Muslim victims of the murderous crusades in Afghanistan, Pakistan's Waziristan regions and Swat Valley, and elsewhere," Gadahn said.

This is a rare example of al Qaeda offering condolences to the families of those slaughtered in the bloodletting brought on by the group's own attacks. But Gadahn also lashed out against the United States and its supporters in the war on terror.

"Those who have made the foolish decision to stand with America and its allies in their losing war against Islam, you have not only betrayed Islam and Muslims and left the fold of faith, but you have also caused the destabilization of nations and the displacement of thousands of weak and oppressed people."

"The blood of countless Muslims is on your hands, and the security and very future of the countries you claim to defend and serve has been placed in jeopardy because your external enemies are taking advantage of your heedlessness as you fight and kill your fellow countrymen for American dollars," Gadahn said.

Gadahn has often been used by al Qaeda in the past in video and audio statements because he is American and obviously has a mastery of the English language.

Gadahn is on the FBI's list of most-wanted terrorists. His whereabouts are unknown. Many analysts believe he remains in touch with Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second-in-command, after Osama bin Laden.

Gadahn was born in Oregon and raised in Southern California. He is the first American charged with treason since Tomoya Kawakita in 1952 who was found guilty of torturing American prisoners of war while living in Japan during World War II.