Al-Qaeda Leader Osama bin Laden on Friday took direct responsibility for the first time for the Sept. 11, 2001. He has threatened to launch new attacks against the United States if it continued to oppress Muslims.
In the segment broadcast, the al-Qaida leader refrained from directly warning of new attacks, although he said "there are still reasons to repeat what happened." He also said he launched the attacks for injustices against the Lebanese and Palestinians by Israel and the United States, "the best way to avoid another Manhattan" was to stop threatening Muslims' security.
The bin Laden tape, the first video of him in more than a year, appeared four days before the presidential election, which could hinge on how voters see prospects for security. Both Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry responded to it by vowing to fight terrorists.
US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said he would stop at absolutely nothing to hunt down, capture or kill the terrorists" in response to Laden's video tape.
In addition, Incumbent US president George W. Bush vowed not to be intimidated and influenced by terrorists.
U.S. authorities have long believed bin Laden is hiding in mountainous area of Pakistan that borders Afghanistan, but the hunt for him has been fruitless for three years.
(Xinhua News Agency/Agencies October 30, 2004)
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