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Cairo: Osama Bin Laden gave praise to former Al Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab Zarqawi, who was killed by US troops last month, during an audio message released on Friday.
The 19 minute tape was posted on an Islamic militant website and included old images on Bin Laden and images of Al Zarqawi taken from a previous video.
Bin Laden hailed Al Zarqawi, saying, "The lion of jihad ... Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ... was killed in a U.S. raid. We hope to God he accepts him as a martyr."
Although the tape had not yet been verified, the speaker's voice was similar to one heard in previous recordings claimed to have been made by Bin Laden.
Bin Laden defended attacks by Al Zarqawi against civilians in Iraq, saying that the slain leader was under orders to kill anyone backing American forces.
He said, "Abu Musab had clear instructions to focus his fight on the occupiers, particularly the Americans and to leave aside anyone who remains neutral."
He demanded President George W. Bush give the body of Al Zarqawi to his family, and praised the Jordanian-born militant.
Addressing the US president, he said, "We will continue to fight you and your allies everywhere, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan to run down your resources and kill your men until you return defeated to your nation."
The tape is the fourth message this year allegedly from Bin Laden, although new video images have not appeared since October 2004.
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