Officials Say Voice Is Bin Laden’s
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WASHINGTON — An audiotape broadcast last week is an authentic, unedited and recent recording of Osama bin Laden, U.S. intelligence officials said Monday after completing a technical and linguistic analysis.
The CIA and National Security Agency, which conducted the study, concluded the tape is what it seems: the Al Qaeda leader himself, reading a statement that promises new terrorism against the U.S.
The tape, broadcast on the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television network, praised attacks that took place recently and is the hardest evidence since December 2001 that Bin Laden survived the U.S. bombing campaign in Afghanistan.
“Our intelligence experts do believe that the tape is genuine. It cannot be stated with 100% certainty. It is clear that the tape was made in the last several weeks,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
The audio message gives little clue to Bin Laden’s location or his health. Some intelligence officials have wondered if he used audio rather than video to conceal injuries or sickness.
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