Secure Computing: Sec-C

[Correction: In this blog entry, I originally identified the individual as Azzam al Amriki. It has been pointed out that, while they look very similar, this is likely Waleed al-Shehri. This blog entry has been modified to correct the name. However, both sources -- that it is Azzam reading Waleed's will and testiment, or Waleed reading it -- are not authoritative. If you know an authoritative source, please let me know.]

[Update 15-Sept-2007: I have received confirmation from Nick Fielding, author of Masterminds of Terror. Nick confirms that the speaker is Waleed al-Shehri and not Azzam al Amriki.]

September 11th is a solemn anniversary. And in no way do I wish to make light of this topic. There is no question that the people behind this cowardly attack would attempt to do it again.

As an unfortunate reminder, Al Qaeda uses this anniversary to remind the nations of the world that they still exist -- even if only through the use of spliced and manipulated videos.

Early this morning, As-Sahab released another video -- the second video in five days. As with the last video, I have analyzed this one.

Unlike the last video, this one was not exciting. Last Friday, the video contained many visual splices as well as audio splices. And the modifications were very low quality. Today's video, well, at least it didn't have the video splices.

For people who have not seen the full video, it contains two parts. The first part is a boring still-frame of Bin Laden (aka "Blackbeard"). The still image appears to be from the same series of clips used in last Friday's video, although that exact frame is not included in last Friday's video. The audio still contains really bad clips, including a section where the left audio channel drops significantly. Quality control at As-Sahab really sucks.

The second part appears to be an uncut and unspliced speech by Azzam Al Amriki Waleed al-Shehri. Waleed is not a very good speaker -- he slouches and rarely looks at the camera. Making the video even cheesier, the background is clearly a cartoon on a chromakey background. And yes, my image analysis tools definitely identified the chromakey background. (Mouseover the picture and look for the white outline around Waleed.)


38 minutes 4 seconds into the video and 75% Error Level Analysis

However, there was one REALLY funny part. 30 minutes into a video, a fly began to buzz around Waleed and landed on his arm. At 38:01, the fly landed on his nose! It walked the full length of his nose. That's isn't a dot on his nose, that's a fly!

But it get's better: at 38:03 (2 seconds later), it landed on his nose again and stayed there for five seconds before crawling in his nose! I can't make this up! After crawling to his nostrils, Waleed made a series of faces but never stopped to shoo the fly away.


Note to Al Qaeda: It's hard to feel threatened by a slouch with a fly on his nose and a cartoon background.

I'm really surprised that FOX News didn't cover this. Then again, I'd be surprised if anyone at FOX News actually watched the full video.