Bin Laden tape genuine, says CIA

Intelligence experts say the tape of Osama bin Laden calling on Muslims to keeping fighting a holy war against the US is genuine.

The voice on the audiotape, which was broadcast on the Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel, referred to recent events – including the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and peace initiatives between Israel and the Palestinians.

A CIA official said that a technical analysis determined that the tape was likely an authentic audio message from bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaida terror network.

US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge also said that “preliminary assessments says this is the voice of Osama bin Laden.”

In the taped message, bin Laden said the US-led war in Iraq was the beginning of the “occupation” of Gulf states. He urged Muslims to “continue the jihad to check the conspiracies that are hatched against the Islamic nation.”

“My message is to incite you against the conspiracies, especially those uncovered by the occupation of the crusaders in Baghdad under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction, and also the situation in (Jerusalem) under the deceptions of the road map and the Geneva initiative,” the speaker said.