Bin Laden tape identifies all hijackers

ARAB satellite station Al-Jazeera has broadcast parts of a videotape in which a male voice attributed to Osama bin Laden can be heard naming all 19 September 11 hijackers.

Yesterday's broadcast was of a tape that was first shown on Monday by Al-Jazeera and in which the same voice, speaking in Arabic, named the four leaders of the attacks Mohamed Atta, Marwan Al-Shehhi, Ziad Jarrah and Hani Hanjour. The voice named every one of the 19 hijackers, citing their places of birth and lavishly praising them for their piety.

There was no way to verify whether the voice heard on the clips shown Monday or yesterday belonged to Saudi-born bin Laden or when the recording was made. The whereabouts of bin Laden, whose al Qaida terror network is blamed for the September 11 attacks, are unknown.

"Those men (the hijackers) have realised that the only course to achieve justice and defeat injustice is through jihad (Muslim holy struggle) for the cause of God," said the voice heard on yesterday's clip.

A different voice on the clips heard yesterday said of the hijackers: "They provided the greatest lessons and expertise to all young people to give up fun and play to stand up and destroy the remnants of pagan America."

Al-Jazeera, which has shown several videotapes of bin Laden over the past year, said "Sahab company" provided it with the latest tape.

Sahab is a mystery outfit which until recently had a website. It is not known where it is based or who runs it. Al-Jazeera has credited Sahab in the past for providing it with videotapes of bin Laden.

Yesterday's clips were longer than those shown Monday and included old footage of bin Laden and his top lieutenants squatting silently on the floor.