Al-Qaida terrorist chief Osama bin Laden has called on Pakistanis to rebel against President Pervez Musharraf. U.S. terrorism experts say al-Qaida's media unit (As-Sahab) produced a bin Laden audio message that was released (Thursday) on Islamic militant Web sites.
They say bin Laden's voice can be heard over previously released video footage of the terrorist leader. In the recording, bin Laden calls General Musharraf an "infidel" and says al-Qaida will retaliate against him for the killing of a militant cleric by Pakistani forces.
Pakistani troops killed the cleric, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, and more than 100 of his followers in a raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in July. The mosque had become a stronghold of Islamic militants. Pakistan's army spokesman (Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad) dismissed bin Laden's threat, saying it will not deter the military from fighting extremists and terrorists.