Bin Laden Says Holy War Will Be Expanded

CAIRO, Egypt

Osama bin Laden warned Iraq’s Sunni Arabs against fighting al- Qaida and vowed to expand the group’s holy war to Is-rael in a new audiotape Sat- urday. The tape did not mention Pakistan or the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, though Pakistan’s govern-ment has blamed al-Qaida.

– The Associated Press

calling on Iraqis

Most of the tape dealt with Iraq, where a number of Sunni Arab tribes have formed a coalition fighting al-Qaida-linked insurgents. Bin Laden called on Iraq’s Sunnis to rally behind the Islamic State of Iraq, the insurgent umbrella group led by al-Qaida.

attacking Israel

Bin Laden offered an unusually direct attack on Israel . “We intend to liberate Palestine ,” he said, threatening “blood for blood, destruction for destruction .” The tape’s authenticity couldn’t be independently confirmed, but the voice resembled bin Laden’s.

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