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Cairo: Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden accused Pope Benedict XVI of helping in a "new crusade" against Islam and warned in a new audiotape of a "severe" reaction for Europeans' publication of cartoons seen by Muslims as insulting the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
The message raised concerns Al Qaida was plotting new attacks in Europe. Some experts said Bin Laden, believed to be in hiding in the Afghan-Pakistan border area, may be unable to organise such an attack himself and instead was trying to fan anger over the cartoons to inspire violence by supporters.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi, said Bin Laden's accusation that Pope Benedict XVI has played a role in a worldwide campaign against Islam is "baseless".
Lombardi said the pope on several occasions has criticised the cartoons, first published in several European papers in 2006 then republished in Danish papers in February.
Pope raised widespread anger in the Muslim world with a 2006 speech in which he cited a medieval text critical of Islam. The pope later said he was "deeply sorry" about the reactions his remarks sparked and stressed that they did not reflect his own opinions.
Bin Laden's audiotape was posted late on Wednesday on a militant website that has carried Al Qaida statements in the past and bore the logo of the extremist group's media wing Al Sahab.
A still image of Bin Laden aiming with a rifle was posted along with the message.
"The response will be what you see and not what you hear...," said a voice believed to be Bin Laden's, without specifying what action would be taken.
"You went overboard in your unbelief and freed yourselves of the etiquettes of dispute and fighting and went to the extent of publishing these insulting drawings," he said.
"This is the greater and more serious tragedy, and reckoning for it will be more severe." He said the cartoons "came in the framework of a new crusade in which the Pope of the Vatican has played a large, lengthy role."
Reaction
European countries yesterday shrugged off Bin Laden's threat of retribution over the publication of cartoons.
In an audio message verified by US intelligence, Bin Laden had warned Europe of a "reckoning".
In Denmark, which was the original focus of the cartoon controversy, the national security service, PET, said it had no plans to increase security as a result of the Bin Laden message.
"PET does not believe that the latest threats require us to change our [security] assessment," it said in a statement.
However, it said there could be an increase in threats from "militant extremists" abroad against Denmark and Danish nationals and interests, "especially in areas where militant extremist groups are active".
The Danish government declined to comment.
At least 17 Danish dailies on February 13 reprinted a drawing featuring the Prophet, sparking anger in a number of Muslim countries.
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