In his first message for three months, bin Laden said that the West’s decision to cut off funds to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority proved that it was conducting “a Zionist crusader war on Islam”.

He also spoke about the Darfur crisis in Sudan, which has caused 180,000 deaths, calling on “holy warriors” to defend Islam and “prepare for a long war” against a United Nations peacekeeping force.

US intelligence agencies last night said that they believed the audio tape, which was broadcast by al-Jazeera, was authentic, and that both the voice and the message sounded like the al-Qaeda leader. His terrorist network is not thought to be associated with Hamas, which is an outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood. But there have been reports that it is building cells in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. A Hamas spokesman said yesterday that its ideology was vastly different from al-Qaeda’s but noted that the international sanctions imposed since it won control over the Palestinian Authority would naturally cause anger among some Muslims. The US and other Western nations have officially stopped contributions to the Palestinians since Hamas assumed power on March 30.

Bin Laden’s remarks about the halting of funds would suggest that the tape is recent and that he is able to monitor the media.

The voice on yesterday’s tape claimed that the sanctions against Hamas were part of global war on Islam by “crusaders” — a phrase that he has often used. “I say that this war is the joint responsibility of the people and the governments.

“While the war continues, the people renew their allegiance to their rulers and continue to send their sons to our countries to fight us.”

US intelligence officials believe bin Laden is hiding in the mountains on the Afghan-Pakistan border. They say he is separated from Ayman al-Zawahri, his deputy, who is able to issue tapes with greater frequency and is probably now exerting more control over the terror network. January’s message from bin Laden was the first for more than a year.

Peter Bergen, a security expert who interviewed bin Laden before the September 11 attacks, said that the tape sounded authentic. “He wants to show he is still out there.”

Bin Laden’s decision to address the conflict in Sudan is significant because he was based there before being expelled and moving to Afghanistan. The conflict between rebels and the Arab-dominated Government is described by the UN, which hopes to begin peace-keeping duties this autumn, as the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis.

HATRED AND LOATHING FROM A TERRORIST MASTERMIND

April 23, 2006 audiotape criticises “zionist crusader war on Islam”

January 19, 2006 audiotape offered truce “to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan”. Went on to say that “the war against America and its allies will not be confined to Iraq”

October 29, 2004 video aired four days before US presidential election: “The reasons are still there to repeat what happened”

April 15, 2004 audiotape “Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood”

January 4, 2004 audiotape “The occupation of Iraq is the beginning of the occupation of the other Gulf states”

September 11, 2003 video and audiotape, “The panic caused by the attacks made people wake up”

November 14, 2002 audiotape, “We warned Australia not to join in the war in Afghanistan. It woke up to the explosions in Bali”

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