CIA: New bin Laden Tape Likely Authentic

The Central Intelligence Agency has determined that a new audiotape obtained earlier his week is likely an authentic recording of Osama bin Laden, a U.S. intelligence official said Thursday. The audiotape exhorts Muslims to rise up against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain and Afghanistan, which it claims are “agents of America,” and calls for suicide attacks against U.S. and British interests to “avenge the innocent children” of Iraq. CIA analysts, after listening to the audio, were fairly certain the voice was bin Laden’s, according to the intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The agency analyzed a brief excerpt from the tape after The Associated Press and other news organizations sought to authenticate whether the speaker was that of the terrorist leader. There was also no clear indication of when the recording was made. It refers to the outbreak of war in Iraq, so officials suspect it was a recent recording. However, the references are so general that it is conceivable it was recorded before the war, the official said. Full Story