Bin Laden message urges jihad against Israel

AL-QAIDA chief Osama bin Laden urged Muslims to launch a jihad against Israel and condemned Arab governments as allies of the Jewish state in a new message aimed at harnessing anger in the Middle East over the Gaza offensive.

Bin Laden spoke in an audiotape posted yesterday on Islamic militant websites where al-Qaida usually issues its messages. It was his first tape since May. The al-Qaida leader also vowed that the terror network would open “new fronts” against the United States and its allies beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.

He said president-elect Barack Obama has received a “heavy inheritance” from George W Bush — two wars and “the collapse of the economy”, which he said will render the US unable to sustain a long fight against mujahedeen — or holy warriors.