Osama's truce and threat

After almost a year of silence, Osama bin Laden is back with his audio-message.

Though analysts are saying that it was a genuine recording - made some time in December - and that his voice sounded weak, the veracity of the message are clear enough for it contained both a threat and truce.

The threat:

Osama boasted of the suicide bombings in Madrid and London and said America would not be spared.

"The delay in similar operations happening in America has not been because
of failure to break through your security measures.

The operations are under preparation and you will see them in your homes
the minute they are through [with preparations], with God willing."

The truce:

Osama was ready to offer the US a "truce" in response to opinion polls showing that Americans were weary of the war in Iraq.

"The war is still raging. The operations in Afghanistan are increasing all the time on our side. The Pentagon says the number if your dead and injured is rising, and there are your huge financial loses.

We don't mind offering you a long-term truce on fair conditions that we adhere to. We are a nation that God has forbidden to lie and cheat. So both sides can enjoy security and stability under this truce so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been destroyed in this war.

There is no shame in this solution, which prevents the wasting of billions of dollars that have gone to those with influence and merchants of war in America who have supported Bush's election campaign with billions of dollars — which lets us understand the insistence by Bush and his gang to carry on with war."

Full text of his speech

But the truce offer was immediately rejected by the US and security officials have no plans to raise the nation's security threat level because of the new tape.

And immediately another question is raised with this sudden emergence of Osama's tape - the fate of his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri (photo).

Usually its the Egyptian who issues threats through such video recordings. However last week the US claimed it had targetted and bombed a small village in Pakistan after receiving info that Ayman al-Zawahiri was hiding there.

Did they get him then? Pakistani officials said it was his son-in-law and two al-Qaida figures who had died.

So, we await for more then from Osama - both on his threat and truce. And also for more info on his deputy.

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