Bin Laden congratulates US bombers

Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden has congratulated those who carried out yesterday’s attacks on the United States, but denied that he played any role in the incidents.

A Palestinian journalist in Islamabad, Pakistan, said: "Osama bin Laden thanked almighty Allah and bowed before him when he heard this news."

The journalist said one of bin Laden’s aides called him early today from a secret hide-out in Afghanistan. The aide apparently said that bin Laden considers the attacks "a punishment from Allah" because of the Unites States’ attempts at global domination.