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Purported bin Laden Tape Urges Revolt

Tuesday, April 8, 2003
(6:27 PM ET)
By Kathy Gannon
Associated Press Writer

"You should avenge the innocent children who have been assassinated in Iraq. Be united against Bush and Blair and defeat them with suicide attacks so that you may be successful before Allah."



[ ... ]

"Oh Muslim brothers, let us promise to devote our lives to martyrdom in the way of Allah. America has attacked Iraq and soon will also attack Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan. You should be aware that non-Muslims cannot bear the existence of Muslims and want to capture their resources and destroy them."



ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- AP
An audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) exhorts Muslims to rise up against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other governments it claims are "agents of America," and calls for suicide attacks against U.S. and British interests to "avenge the innocent children" of Iraq (news - web sites).

The 27-minute tape quotes extensively from the Muslim holy book, the Quran, and says jihad, or holy war, is the "only solution to all the problems."

The tape was obtained Monday by The Associated Press from an Algerian national, known as Aadil, who said he had slipped across the border from Afghanistan (news - web sites), where the tape was apparently recorded.

There was no way immediately to confirm that the voice on the tape was that of the al-Qaida chief. But it was translated by an Arabic-speaking Afghan who met with the terrorist mastermind years ago and said he believed the voice seemed to be bin Laden's.

There also was no clear indication of when the tape was made, although it makes references to the war in Iraq and the leaders who launched it, President Bush (news - web sites) and British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites).
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2003 © The Associated Press

Dan