Bin Laden 'live and Kicking

Studies made of the voice on the audio tape recently released by Qatar-based TV station Al Jazeera have indicated that the voice belongs to Osama Bin Laden, according to intelligence sources.

The CIA was the first agency to claim that the voice was authentic, while the British intelligence services are still studying the computer images of the voice, which mentions the recent terrorist attacks in Moscow, Bali and Amman (October 28th) and indicates that Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Australia are to be future targets if they join in any war against Iraq. It is a reminder that if military action is taken, there will be reprisals.

Technicians working for British intelligence have told Pravda.Ru that it would be possible for Al-Qaeda to have the technology to simulate the voice, if Osama Bin Laden had been killed in Tora Bora, but that this would be extremely difficult because it appears that there is an exact match, in the fluent 4.5 minute broadcast.

The tape is a clear indication that Bin Laden escaped the bombing of Afghanistan and the question remains where he is hiding. The fact that the tape was handed to a Pakistani journalist in Islamabad could lend credence to the rumours that both Bin Laden and Mohammad Omar are still in Afghanistan, possibly in the wild country north of Kandahar but it could also be a ploy to lead intelligence agencies to send their resources into Afghanistan or northern Pakistan, while Bin Laden controls the operations from thousands of kilometres away.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru