DUBAI (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden accused President Bush of deceiving the American people and said the Sept. 11 attacks would not have been so severe if the president had been alert.
In an address on Al Jazeera television just days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, bin Laden also said the U.S. administration resembled "corrupt" Arab governments.
"It never occurred to us that the commander in chief of the country (Bush) would leave 50,000 citizens in the two towers to face those horrors alone ... because he thought listening to a child discussing her goats was more important," bin Laden said, referring to Bush's visit to a school when the attack occurred.
Al Qaeda leader bin Laden said he had first thought of attacking the United States after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. U.S. intelligence agencies believe that it appeared to be bin Laden on the tape, one official said.
Bin Laden appeared to be sitting or standing at a table against a neutral brown background. He wore a round, white head covering and white tunic under a light brown cloak.
Reading from a sheet of paper, his voice was strong and he appeared in fair health, his full beard a mixture of white and dark gray. At times he gestured at the camera with his right index finger to emphasize points.
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I guess he saw Fahrenheit 9/11..
Aljazeera airs Usama bin Ladin message
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/23DAA5DE-7073-4F7A-9109-8C153B41A716.htm
Aljazeera Television has aired a video from Usama bin Ladin.
Bin Ladin's latest message was for the American people.
This latest tape has been subtitled in English and will be available on http://english.aljazeera.net soon.
The timing of this videotape is significant as it comes less than a week before the American presidential elections.
Usama bin Ladin heads al-Qaida, held responsible for the attacks of 11 September 2001 on New York and Washington.
Aljazeera