Alleged al-Qaida Tape Claims Iraq Attacks
By MAGGIE MICHAEL, Associated Press Writer
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - A man claiming to be a senior al-Qaida figure that the United States believes is operating in Iraq has released a tape calling for the country's Sunni Muslims to fight Shiites and claiming responsibility for high-profile attacks there.
The 33-minute audiotape appeared Tuesday on a Web site known as a clearinghouse for militant Islamic messages. The speaker introduced himself as Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian also known as Ahmed al-Khalayleh who is thought to be a close associate of Osama bin Laden. It was the first tape of any kind attributed to him to be made public.
The tape's authenticity could not be verified. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in Washington, said experts are looking into it, but it was too early to judge its authenticity.
Middle East counterterrorism officials said they also were examining the tape. One of the officials who spoke to the Associated Press in Amman, Jordan, said preliminary indications from people familiar with al-Zarqawi's voice and the tone of the threat suggest it is his.
Terrorism experts say that even when such statements cannot be traced to al-Qaida, they serve the group's cause by inspiring sympathizers.
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