New York publisher faces fierce opposition to al-Qa'eda tome

[emad]

Telegraph
By Philip Sherwell in Washington
(Filed: 23/01/2005)

America's biggest publisher, the New York-based Doubleday, has provoked fierce controversy among families of the victims of the September 11 terror attacks by commissioning an anthology of writing by al-Qa'eda terrorist leaders.

The book will contain new translations of hate-filled polemics by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, his al-Qa'eda deputy, including material not previously seen outside the Arab world and which pre-dates the terror campaign.

When news of the deal first broke in the American publishing press last week, the company said that it had not decided how to use the expected profits from the book. After angry protests that it stood to cash in on the 9/11 attacks, however, Doubleday announced that all the proceeds from the book, which has the working title Al Qaeda Reader, would be given to charity.

Suzanne Herz, a spokesman for Doubleday, said there was no question of making payments to anyone connected with al-Qa'eda. Instead the company is paying just over $100,000 (£53,000) for the rights to a Washington librarian, who is translating and anthologising the two men's virulently anti-Western tracts and tirades.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/23/wdoub23.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/01/23/ixportal.html

[rodeodance]

1. I would like to read a compiled book on their writings. Yes, the 'profit'

issue has to be resolved. any publisher, in any country will be accused of making a profit off 9/11 (BushCo did-even if few will admit to it).

The earlier writings probably give a picture of how and why they think and act as they do. And I bet the reasons will not be because they hate us and they hate our 'freedom'

[Kagemusha]

2. Accused of profiting when the $ is donated to charity?

Well, the fact of the matter is, this is a legal mess. Any challenge to their ability to violate copyright would probably bring the Patriot Act down on the lawyers in all its fury, for instance.