Bangkok, Oct 19: The White House today said that an audiotape attributed to Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, in which he threatens new strikes on the united states, shows the need for "taking the fight" to terrorists. "It is a reminder that the global war on terror continues," spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters hours after US President George W Bush arrived in Bangkok eager to shore up the southeast Asian front of that campaign.
"That is why we are taking the fight to the killers and bringing them to justice," the spokesman said after the recording was broadcast on Qatar's Al-Jazeera television.
McClellan said that us authorities would analyse the tape to determine whether it was in fact the voice of the fugitive terrorist mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks on the world trade center and the Pentagon.
"We will go on fighting you and we will carry on martyrdom (suicide) operations in and outside the united states until you stop being unjust," a voice warned in an audiotaped "message to the American people" attributed to the Saudi-born dissident by the Doha station.
"We reserve the right to retaliate at the proper time and place against all countries that take part in this unjust war (against Iraq), namely Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy," announced the taped voice.
"Terrorists are enemies of the civilized world who seek to spread fear and chaos and they have no regard for innocent life," said McClellan.
Bureau Report