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It's bin Laden - CIA
20/03/2008 20:14 - (SA)
Washington - The CIA is confident that
the voice is genuine in a message on Wednesday purported to be
from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, a US intelligence
official said on Thursday.
The official described the content of the message as "part
of their ongoing propaganda campaign," and "well-worn"
propaganda". He said he was not immediately able to describe
when the message may have been recorded.
In the audio message posted on the Internet coinciding with
the birth of Islam's founder, bin Laden threatened the European
Union with grave punishment for publication of cartoons mocking
the Prophet Muhammad.
"The CIA has done an analysis of it (the message) and it
can be said with a high degree of confidence that it is in fact
the voice of Osama bin Laden," the official said.
The White House said the tape appeared to show bin Laden
was trying "to establish himself as relevant and posture
himself as the defender of Muslims".
"At the same time his organisation continues to
specifically target, and lethally target, innocent men, women
and children around the world and bring destruction and death
to people everywhere who don't agree with their radical views,"
White House spokesperson Dana Perino said.
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