LONDON (voa) – A London-based Arabic newspaper says it has received an e-mail it believes is from Osama bin Laden.
The editor of the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper, Abdul Bari Atwan, says the e-mail conforms in style and language to previous e-mails he has received from the fugitive terrorist leader.
But the editor says he has no way to verify the author of the message.
The e-mail is harshly critical of the Middle East peace plan by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah that was adopted by the Arab Summit in Beirut. The author says the plan is another example of betrayal by Arab leaders undercutting the Palestinians.
The message hails Palestinian suicide attacks on Israelis and says everyone is required to take up jihad, or holy war.
U.S. officials have repeatedly said they do not know whether Osama bin Laden is dead or alive. There have been no confirmed sightings of the al-Qaida terrorist network leader since mid-November in eastern Afghanistan, when U.S. and Afghan forces were pressing in on al-Qaida fighters in the Tora Bora cave complex.
Last week, a half-brother of Mr. bin Laden said his mother had learned through a recent telephone call that Osama bin Laden was still alive.
