CIA: Bin Laden tape authentic
2004-04-15 23:17
Washington - The CIA on Thursday said the taped message attributed to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden appears to be authentic, following the agency's analysis of the recording.
"After conducting a technical analysis, the CIA assesses the voice on the audiotape aired today on Arab TV is likely bin Laden," a Central Intelligence Agency official said.
The tape, aired earlier on Thursday by Dubai-based al-Arabiya television, offered peace to European countries which refrain from aggression toward Muslims and which pull their troops out of the Muslim world.
It also vowed to avenge Israel's March 22 killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, founder and spiritual leader of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas.
The CIA official said the message "was probably recorded in the last several weeks, given the reference to the death of Yassin."
It was unclear whether the author of the ambiguously worded message was offering a truce or issuing an ultimatum with the appeal to European nations.
"We would assess it could be an attempt by bin Laden or al-Qaeda to drive a wedge between Europe and us, given the content of the message, and also probably a propaganda ploy to bolster al-Qaeda supporters," the CIA official said.
- AFP