Osama bin Laden, in his first verified statement since the September 11th attacks, swore in videotaped remarks broadcast today that the United States would not live in peace until peace reigned in Palestine.
"America has been filled with horror from north to south and east to west, and thanks be to God what America is tasting now is only a copy of what we have tasted," he said in a statement to Qatar's al-Jazeera television.
"Our Islamic nation has been tasting the same for more 80 years," he said, adding US President George W. Bush was the head of the infidels.
"God has blessed a group of vanguard Muslims to destroy America...and may God bless them and allot them a place in heaven.
"I swear to God to that America will not live in peace before peace reigns in Palestine, he added. Jazeera said the statement was videotaped after September 11th but did not give a specific date."
An aide to bin Laden, Mr Ayman Zawahri, urged Muslims to resist America and another aide said the attacks were because America supported Israel's occupation of Arab lands.