New 'Bin Laden tape' urges suicide attacks

A new audio tape said to be by Osama bin Laden urges Muslims to carry out suicide attacks and to rise up against Arab governments that have supported the US-led war in Iraq.

In the tape, what is reportedly bin Laden’s voice urges the faithful to attack the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Unlike previous recording allegedly by the al-Qaida leader, this one had a single theme: suicide attacks.

“All of them have been imposed upon you and jihad (holy war) against them is your duty,” said the Arabic tape received yesterday in remote north-west Pakistan.

The tape was obtained from an Algerian national, identified only as Aadil, who said he had slipped across the border from Afghanistan, where the tape was apparently recorded.

There was no way independently to confirm that the voice on the tape was that of bin Laden, but it was translated by an Arabic speaking Afghan who met the terror mastermind years ago and who said the voice appeared to be his.

There was also no clear indication of when the tape was made, but from the message it appeared to have been after the outbreak of war in Iraq last month.

“The United States has attacked Iraq and soon he will also attack Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan. The attacks in Saudi Arabia and Egypt will be against Islamic movements there,” said the tape.

Aadil was in Pakistan to locate his two colleagues arrested last week in north-west Peshawar at the foot of the Khyber Pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan. The men were arrested after FBI agents intercepted calls made from a mobile phone.

The two men were wanted for the murder of a Pakistani intelligence officer a month earlier in the border town of Wana, 180 miles south of Peshawar.

The tape delivered by Aadil concentrated mostly on jihad, condemning Muslim governments who have supported the US-led coalition’s war on Iraq and the global war that has targeted bin Laden.

Peppered with verses from the Muslim holy book, the Koran, the cassette made repeated promises of heaven for those who carried out suicide attacks.

“I ask the Muslim women to join jihad by providing food to mujahedeen (holy warriors.) Elders should pray for us. I am proud of those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam.”

The tape warned that Islamic movements and governments throughout the Muslim world are under attack.

Bin Laden was given sanctuary in Sudan until 1996 when he fled to Afghanistan, welcomed there during the rule of the western-backed government of Burhanuddin Rabbani. Rabbani’s feuding government was later ousted by the Taliban religious movement.

Bin Laden stayed on in Afghanistan, forged close ties with the Taliban leadership, which refused to hand him over to the US after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Taliban’s refusal resulted in the war on Afghanistan in October 2001.

“Do not be afraid of their tanks and armoured personnel carriers. These are artificial things,” he said.

“If you started suicide attacks you will see the fear of Americans all over the world. Those people who cannot join forces in jihad should give financial help to those mujahedeen who are fighting against US aggression.”