An audiotape message attributed to top terror mastermind Osama bin Laden bitterly criticized the Saudi regime, reported an Islamic Web site Thursday.  

The speaker blamed the Saudi regime for the unrest in the kingdom. "The truth is that the whole responsibility falls on the shoulders of the regime."

Speaking in the Quranic verses, the speaker also accused Saudi rulers of "violating God's rules," and being "too close to the infidel," referring to the United States.

The Saudi regime is violating the people's rights and misusing the country's wealth while millions of people are in poverty, added the speaker.

He also criticized the Saudi government's promise to hold municipal elections and open a national dialogue on democratization and other issues.

Saudi Arabia has come under increasing pressures from Washington since the September 11 terror attacks as 15 out of the 19 hijackers were from the kingdom.

On December 6, armed terrorists stormed the US consulate in the Saudi city of Jeddah, killing five non-American consulate staff and four Saudi security officers.

Bin Laden, born in Saudi Arabia, was believed hiding in the mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Earlier in October, the Arab-language al-Jazeera satellite channel aired a videotape of bin Laden, in which he warned the United States of more attacks similar to the September 11 bloodshed.

(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2004)