The Arab satellite television station Al Jazeera broadcast an audio tape that is said to contain a message from the man responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The tape threatened additional attacks against the United States but also offered the United States a 'truce' under not specified conditions.
If proved authentic, this would be the first message heard from bin Laden since December 2004. At that time, the al-Qaeda leader urged Iraqis to boycott elections scheduled for the following month.
The voice on today's tape sounded a lot less charismatic than past bin Laden messages and the speaker sounded almost short of breath.
The new tape was reportedly made after Friday's attack by an American drone on a village in Pakistan. The United States was attempting to kill the second highest ranking al-Qaeda terrorist, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The attack killed four or five foreign militants but Zawahiri was not in the village during the attack and was not hurt. As many as 18 civilians were reportedly killed in the attack.
Bin Laden made a specific threat in the tape to once again attack the U.S. mainland. In it, he said the only reason no more attacks have taken place since September 11 is 'not due to the failure to breach your security measures.'
In a translation of the audiotape provided by the BBC, bin Laden added, 'Operations are in preparation and you will see them on your own ground once the preparations are finished, God willing.'
It has been more than four years and four months since the September 11 attacks. To date, the Bush administration has failed at all attempts to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, the man responsible for the attacks.
