Al-Qaida to Iran: 9/11 theory 'ridiculous'

Al-Qaida has told Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to drop the "ridiculous" theory the U.S. government carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ABC News reports the message came in an article in the latest issue of al-Qaida's English-language magazine Inspire. "The Iranian government has professed on the tongue of its President Ahmadinejad that it does not believe that al-Qaida was behind 9/11 but rather, the U.S. government," the article states "So we may ask the question: Why would Iran ascribe to such a ridiculous belief that stands in the face of all logic and evidence?" The article claims Iran views itself as a rival to al-Qaida in terms of anti-Americanism and says Iran was jealous of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. "For [Iran], al-Qaida was a competitor for the hearts and minds of the disenfranchised Muslims around the world," the article reads. "Al-Qaida ... succeeded in what Iran couldn't. Therefore it was necessary for the Iranians to discredit 9/11 and what better way to do so? Conspiracy theories." In another article in the magazine, allegedly written by Osama bin Laden before he was killed the U.S. Navy SEALs in May, the al-Qaida founder tells followers not to allow American soldiers to "become great in your eyes." Ahmadinejad continues to claim the United States was behind the terror attacks and did so during a speech at the U.N. General Assembly last week, prompting walkouts by the U.S. delegation and several others.