The world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, taunted "infidel" US President George W. Bush over the September 11th attacks yesterday and said America would not live in peace until Palestinians could do the same.
In videotaped remarks broadcast as Western forces began an assault on his hideouts in Afghanistan, bin Laden called for the Arabian peninsula to be rid of "evil", renewing his demand that U.S. forces quit his native Saudi Arabia.
Bin Laden, calling President Bush the "head of the infidels", expressed support for the airliner attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 6,000 people.
"Every Muslim must rise to defend his religion. The wind of faith is blowing and the wind of change is blowing to remove evil from the Peninsula of Mohammad, peace be upon him," bin Laden said in his first verified statement since the attacks.
"As to America, I say to it and its people a few words: I swear to God that America will not live in peace before peace reigns in Palestine, and before all the army of infidels depart the land of Mohammad, may peace be upon him."
His statement to Qatar's al-Jazeera television, filmed against a rocky background with an assault rifle at his side and transmitted just two hours after the United States and Britain began bombing Afghanistan, did not claim responsibility for the September 11th attacks.
He has previously issued statements through associates denying he was behind them.
But he was unambiguous about his support for those who carried it out, saying: "God has blessed a group of vanguard Muslims to destroy America ... and may God bless them and allot them a supreme place in heaven."
Bin Laden, wearing battle fatigues and a scarf and turban, appeared weary and looked mostly at the ground as he spoke, apparently without a script.