A new audiotape allegedly featuring the voice of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has surfaced on the Internet and addresses the recent flooding in Pakistan.
The 11-minute tape, posted on militant websites Friday, focuses on relief efforts and what can be done to prevent future natural disasters.
It is the third message in recent weeks from al-Qaida figures addressing the devastating floods in Pakistan.
The U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terrorist forums, says the latest message is heard in a video featuring a photograph of bin Laden superimposed over images of aid distribution.
In the recording, bin Laden reportedly urges a change in how governments execute relief work and calls for the creation of a relief group to study Muslim regions located near rivers and low-lying areas. He also calls for a greater investment in agriculture.
There has been no independent verification of the tape's authenticity.
More than 1,700 people have died in the flooding in Pakistan, with hundreds of thousands of others displaced.
The last bin Laden address to be released was a threat to kill any American captured by al-Qaida if the United States executes Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. That tape surfaced in March.
Osama bin Laden's whereabouts have remained a mystery since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. The United States has offered a $25-million reward for information leading to his capture.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
