DUBAI - Qatar's al-Jazeera television today broadcast what it said was the voice of Osama bin Laden threatening more attacks on the United States.
Jazeera said it was not clear when the audio recording was taped and said it had aired it because "it sounded like" bin Laden, the prime
suspect in the September 11 attacks last year on New York and Washington.
It said the tape was dropped off at one of its offices but did not say where or by whom.
"The Muslim youth promise you (America) what will fill your heart with terror and will target the core of your economy until you stop your injustice and aggression or until one of us dies and God give us strength," the voice said.
It warned that any attack against the Muslim world would be repaid "twofold" and accused US administration officials of being a "Zionist mob".
The recording did not refer to any particular events to help establish when it was made. Bin Laden's fate remains unknown since US retaliatory strikes on his strongholds in Afghanistan a year ago.
The former head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence service, in an interview published yesterday based on his own information, said bin Laden was alive and preparing for a surprise comeback.
The last video of the Saudi-born dissident emerged in April, undated, with bin Laden warning the United States it would not feel safe until Palestinians enjoyed peace and vowed Muslims would fight on despite their relative military weakness.
A videotape released by US authorities in December showed bin Laden appearing to admit to at least prior knowledge of the September 11 hijacked airliner attacks in which more than 3,000 people were killed.
Bin Laden regards the United States as the key enemy of Muslims for what he calls bias towards Israel and for having a military presence in Muslim countries, mainly Saudi Arabia.
Jazeera has in the past aired exclusive footage of bin Laden and several senior aides in his al Qaeda network.
- REUTERS
Story archives:
War against terrorism
Terror in America - the Sept 11 attacks
Links: War against terrorism
Timeline: Major events since the Sept 11 attacks
