Osama bin Laden has accused the West of loathing Islam in a video message broadcast by the Qatar-based satellite television station Al-Jazeera.
Al-Jazeera said the wording on the tape indicates that it was recorded within the last two weeks. The station is reporting it will air the 30-minute tape in its entirety on Thursday. The last tape of Mr. bin Laden the station aired was on Nov. 3.
"Our terrorism against the United States is worthy of praise to deter the oppressor so that America stop its support for Israel, which is killing our children," said a pale and gaunt looking Mr. bin Laden, dressed in military fatigues.
He said the video was made to mark the three month anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon on.
In the recording, Mr. bin Laden condemns the West for excessive bombing of Muslims in Afghanistan and refers specifically to an attack during Ramadan a few weeks ago.
Al-Jazeera gave no indication as to how they received the video tape.
The U.S. and their allies have been been scouring the caves of Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan for Mr. bin Laden.
The terrorist leader's whereabouts are unknown. Several people, including Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, have speculated that he may have been killed in the U.S. bombing of the caves. Others believe he may have slipped away, possibly crossing the border into Pakistan.
Speaking in the video with a gun propped up beside him, Mr. bin Laden refers to the bombing of a mosque in Khost, Afghanistan, saying it happened "several days" before. U.S. Central Command said an errant U.S. bomb damaged a mosque in the town of Khost on Nov. 16.
"All that you hear about mistaken strikes is a lie and a sheer lie," Mr. bin Laden said. "Several days ago, they bombed as, they claimed, 'positions of a Taliban base in Khost' and sent a missile to a mosque and said it was a mistake."
With reports from Reuters News Agency and Associated Press