Bin Laden message 'to be aired'

The claim was made in an advertisement posted on an Islamic militant website on Monday, featuring Bin Laden's image.

As-Sahab did not say when the message would be aired or whether it would be a video or audio recording.

Last month, an audio tape purportedly by Osama Bin Laden urged insurgent groups in Iraq to unify their ranks.

In it, the speaker said the strength of faith was in bonds between Muslims, not in a tribe, nationalism or an organisation.

'Driving a wedge'

A message released on 20 September called for a holy war against Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf.

The al-Qaeda leader also issued a video message to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the 11 September attacks on the United States.

Osama Bin Laden, despite his geographical isolation, has always shown a keen interest in the global media.

Correspondents say Bin Laden has often tried to sway the opinions of the Western public in the hopes of driving a wedge between them and their leaders, and between European countries and his most hated enemy, the US government.