Bin Laden Praises Last Week's Attacks on U.S. Marines

Al Jazeera, based in Qatar, has broadcast a statement purportedly from Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, praising last week's attacks on U.S. Marines in Kuwait and a French oil tanker near the Yemeni coast. In this statement, he congratulated Muslims for their attacks in Kuwait against what he termed the occupation of Kuwaiti soil and the occupying forces, as well as the explosion of the French oil tanker, which he referred to as the 'umbilical cord of Christians.' The message called on Muslims to fight against the U.S. and Israel. U.S. officials are uncertain about bin Laden's status, whether he is alive or dead, and there is no way to verify the accuracy of recent statements attributed to him. U.S. and Kuwaiti officials are investigating shootings that occurred today against American soldiers in Kuwait. The shooting came from two private vehicles whose ownership is unknown. U.S. officials state that no one was injured in the incident, and American soldiers did not return fire. This incident occurred near an area where American soldiers are engaged in military training. Six days ago, a U.S. Marine was shot dead in Kuwait, and in response to this attack, U.S. Marines killed two attackers who were Kuwaiti.