Al-Qaida video found in Afghanistan shows five suspects

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- The government, seeking public help in finding suspected terrorists, on Thursday released photos and video excerpts recovered from the rubble of a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan that depict five suspected al-Qaida members.

Attorney General John Ashcroft called upon people worldwide to help "identify, locate and incapacitate terrorists who are suspected of planning additional attacks against innocent civilians."

"These men could be anywhere in the world," he said.

Ashcroft said five videotapes were recovered from the rubble of the home of Mohammad Atef, believed to have been Osama bin Laden's military chief. Officials say Atef was killed by a U.S. airstrike in November.

Ashcroft said the videotapes "depict young men delivering what appear to be martyrdom messages from suicide terrorists." He added that an analysis of the audio suggests "the men may be trained and prepared to commit future suicide terrorist acts."

He said the government had tentatively identified four of the five men shown in the videos.

Ashcroft said the public release of the video footage and photos was part of an effort to help "freedom-loving people become the best line of self defense."

FBI Director Robert Mueller said the video came "from a trove of valuable information" discovered within Afghanistan. He said the tapes are still being analyzed to determine when they were made and whether any of the men ever entered the United States.

"Every piece of information is potentially valuable," he said. "The principle is simple: An informed and enlightened public works."

Mueller noted that as the U.S. military action goes forward, "it continues in ways that I think supports what we, and the CIA, are engaged in, which is identifying terrorists and preventing future attacks."

Ashcroft said the release of specific photos allows the American people to be a "constructive part" of the investigation.