‘The Strike That Will Be a Surprise’

Excerpts from the Aug. 20, 2000, conversation between Abdulsalam Ali Ali Abdulrahman, a suspected Yemeni terrorist, and Abdelkader Mahmoud Es Sayed, an Egyptian accused of being Al Qaeda’s top operative in Italy.

Abdulrahman: I’m studying airplanes. I hope, God willing, to bring you a window or a piece of a plane the next time we see each other. (Laughter)

*

Es Sayed: What, a jihad action?

Abdulrahman: Remember this: In the future, listen to the news and remember the words “Above the head.”

*

Abdulrahman: But the strike that will be a surprise will have to do with the other country.

Es Sayed: Yes.

Abdulrahman: It’s one of those strikes that will never be forgotten.

Es Sayed: Yes.

Abdulrahman: There will be such a mess they won’t know how to put things back together.

*

Abdulrahman: Remember well, remember well.

Es Sayed: Yes, yes.

Abdulrahman: The danger in the airports.

Es Sayed: Rain, rain.

Abdulrahman: There are clouds in the sky there in international territory. In that country the fire has been lit and is awaiting only the wind.

Es Sayed: The jihad is still on high.

Abdulrahman: It will be known. All the newspapers of the world will write it.

*

Abdulrahman: [Americans] think they are lions, but they are betrayers.

They think they are the power of the world, but first we’ll do this job on them, and then we’ll see.