Al-Qaida warns US of more attacks

OSAMA BIN LADEN'S right-hand man has warned the US to prepare for more al-Qaida attacks.

Audio tapes purported to be from bin Laden's top lieutenant aired on Arabic TV stations yesterday, one taunting President George W Bush and threatening more attacks on the United States, the second criticising France's decision to ban Islamic headscarves in schools.

Portions of separate audiotapes attributed to Ayman al-Zawahri were broadcast a few hours apart on Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera, competing pan-Arab satellite channels based in the Persian Gulf. Officials at both stations said they had aired only excerpts judged newsworthy. The two stations said they had received different tapes.