Bin Laden's Message

Rachel Ehrenfeld has warned that Bin Laden's beard, the most prominent feature of this video, may be a signal that attack is imminent. Trimming the beard is part of the ritual of preparing for Ihram, a sacred state required before completing a pilgrimage to Mecca. From what I can tell, he is not wearing the traditional Ihram dress (a white, seamless, two-piece garment).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihram