Bin Laden calls for holy war against US: Al-Jazeera TV

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, October 19, 2003

Bin Laden calls for holy war against US: Al-Jazeera TV

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An audio tape purportedly recorded by al Qaida chief Osama Bin Laden was aired by Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel Saturday, calling for jihad, or holy war against the United States that currently led an multinational force in Iraq.

In a voice message addressed to US President George W. Bush, bin Laden also called on the United States to withdraw from Iraq, saying "You send your sons to Iraq in order to kill them." The voice on the tape said "America is bogged down in the swamps of Tigris and the Euphrates...Bush (US President) thought Iraq and its oil reserve is a free treasure," but now his troops are in a real "plight."

"The United States now call for mercenary soldiers from the West and the East," said the voice, referring to the US-sought contribution of troops and funds from a number of countries. The al Qaida chief threatened to carry out more suicide attacks inside and outside the United States and retaliation against countries joining the US-led coalition forces.

"We will go on fighting you and we will carry on martyrdom(suicide) operations in and outside the United States until you stop being unjust," said the voice.

"We reserve the right to retaliate at the proper time and place against all countries that take part in this unjust war (against Iraq), namely Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy. "In the message to the Iraqis, the speaker said "This is a new crusade on the Islamic world," urging the youth in Iraq's neighboring countries not to follow the voices in Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and elsewhere, which call for democratic and peaceful solutions.

The terror master last appeared in early September when al-Jazeera aired a video tape showing him and his top aide Aimen Zawahili walking in mountains, both carrying AK-47 rifles. The pan-Arab space channel has broadcasted several recorded messages claimed to be from terrorist groups and Iraq's ousted leader Saddam Hussein, which encouraged Iraqis to resist the occupying troops.

Criticised of inciting violence, the television, along with Dubai-based Arabiya TV channel, has been banned from reporting official events in the US-controled country.

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