"The occupiers have unveiled their intentions to occupy and divide Iraq. All their allegations were baseless," said the voice on the tape broadcast by Al-Arabiya satellite television network.

The voice on the tape lashed out at US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, accusing them of lying to the world.

"What will they say to their people and to mankind? What will the chorus of lies say to those that backed them?" said the voice.

"What will they say to the world after they devised the scenario of lies against Iraq's people, leadership and culture?" it said.

"The lies were known to the US president and the British prime minister when they decided to launch a war and aggression," said the voice.

The speaker on the tape also attacked the newly established Governing Council of Iraq, saying it could not serve the Iraqi people.

"How can the people benefit from employees named by the foreign occupiers," said the voice.

"What can those named by the foreign occupier offer to the people and the nation other than the will of the occupier?" it said.

The US-backed council, which held its inaugural meeting on Sunday, is the first national executive body in the war-shattered country since US-led coalition forces ousted Saddam more than three months ago.

The broadcast of the audiotape purportedly to be of Saddam coincided with the anniversary of the 1968 Baathist revolution.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2003)