Islamist Web site to carry new bin Laden video

Dubai, Sep 7: An Islamist Web site said today it would soon carry a new video of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to mark the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on US cities.

The Web site carried a still photograph apparently from the video which showed bin Laden seemingly aged compared to available pictures.

The site did not say when the video, produced by al Qaeda's media arm al-Sahab, would be issued.

Bin Laden was last seen in a video statement aired to coincide with the November 2004 US presidential election. Since then, he has issued several audio messages, the last one in July 2006 in which he vowed al Qaeda would fight the United States anywhere in the world.

Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahri are believed to be hiding in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

US-led forces have been searching for bin Laden since they toppled Afghanistan's Taliban government after it refused to hand over the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

REUTERS>