Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON Osama bin Laden"s al-Qaida organization pledged defiantly yesterday that a "storm of airplanes" will continue to attack American targets until the United States ends its "crusade" against Afghanistan and Islam.

In a menacing video message addressed to the entire Islamic world, al-Qaida spokesman Sleiman abu Gheith called on Muslims in more than 50 nations to "uphold their religion" by attacking U.S. interests worldwide.

"The Americans must know that the storm of airplanes will not stop and there are thousands of young people who look forward to death, like the Americans look forward to living," he said in the taped message aired on Al Jazeera, the Arab world"s version of CNN, broadcast from Qatar.

"America must know that the battle will not leave its land until America leaves our land, until it stops supporting Israel, until it stops the blockage against Iraq," abu Gheith said.

It was the second video released by al-Qaida since Sunday, when the United States began its military offensive against terrorism, dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom.

Abu Gheith warned that the new war against the United States will target all American facilities and personnel. He said that Americans "must know" that the Islamic world will not allow its brethren to come under attack.

"The jihad today is a duty of every Muslim. ... God says fight. ... The American interests are everywhere, all over the world. Every Muslim has to play his real and true role to uphold his religion. And fighting and jihad are a duty," he said.

The al-Qaida spokesman, an unknown figure until his appearance at bin Laden"s side Sunday, praised the men who bombed the World Trade Center and the Pentagon for doing "a good deed" by moving the battle onto American soil.

For all the bravado, abu Gheith"s message to the Muslim world also hinted at angry desperation. The proclamation, which followed three days of air assaults on Afghanistan by U.S. and British warplanes, complained about having to live "under this bombardment."

Neither the White House nor the State Department had any immediate comment on the al-Qaida statement. Indeed, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell did not see the first bin Laden statement Sunday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday.

But some U.S. analysts predicted that the new threat could eventually backfire on the notorious extremist movement, first by reinforcing the resolve of the international coalition confronting al-Qaida and then by showing the group"s inability to follow through on its threats.