New Laden tape hits out at EU, warns of attacks

Osama bin Laden accused Pope Benedict XVI of helping in a "new Crusade" against Islam and warned of a "severe" reaction...

Osama bin Laden accused Pope Benedict XVI of helping in a 8220;new Crusade8221; against Islam and warned of a 8220;severe8221; reaction to European publications of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that insulted many Muslims.

The message, posted late Wednesday on a militant Web site that has carried Al Qaeda statements in the past and bore the logo of the extremist group8217;s media wing al-Sahab, showed a still image of bin Laden aiming with an assault rifle.

8220;The response will be what you see and not what you hear and let our mothers bereave us if we do not make victorious our messenger of God,8221; said a voice believed to be bin Laden8217;s, without specifying what action would be taken.

Ben Venzke, the head of IntelCenter, a U.S. group that monitors militant messages, called Wednesday8217;s video a 8220;clear threat against EU member countries and an indicator of a possible upcoming significant attack.8221;

The five-minute message, bin Laden8217;s first this year, made no mention of the fifth anniversary Wednesday of the US-led invasion in Iraq.

It came as the Muslim world marks the Prophet Muhammad8217;s birthday Thursday and amid the reigniting of a two-year-old controversy over Danish cartoons deemed by Muslims to be insulting.

On February 13, Danish newspapers republished one of the cartoons, which shows Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban, to illustrate their commitment to freedom of speech after police said they had uncovered a plot to kill the artist.

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Danish intelligence service said the reprinting of the cartoon had brought 8220;negative attention8221; to Denmark and may have increased the risk to Danes at home and abroad.

The original 12 cartoons first published in a Danish newspaper triggered major protests in Muslim countries in 2006. There have been renewed protests in the last month. Muslims widely saw the cartoons as an insult, depicting the prophet as violent. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.

In the message, bin Laden described the cartoons as taking place in the framework of a 8220;new Crusade8221; against Islam, in which he said the pope has played a 8220;large and lengthy role.8221;

Vatican says not in 8216;new crusade8217;

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican rejected on Thursday fresh accusations from Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden that the publication of cartoons mocking Islam8217;s Prophet Mohammad was part of a 8220;new crusade8221; involving Pope Benedict. 8220;These accusations are totally unfounded,8221; said Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi.