A tape purportedly from al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden aired on Monday by al-Jazeera satellite channel has called upon the Iraqis to boycott the coming elections due on Jan. 30.
The speaker said, "In terms of Islam, the Iraqi constitution is infidel and therefore everyone who participates in the elections will be infidels."
In addition, the speaker praised the deadly attacks against the US troops and Iraqi officials masterminded by al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was the most wanted man in Iraq.
"Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the emir of the al-Qaida network in Iraq and the brothers in the group there must obey him," said the voice attributed to bin Laden.
The authenticity of the tape could not be verified.
Zarqawi, a Jordan-born terrorist, was behind a series of most bloody attacks, kidnappings and beheadings of Iraqi and foreigners in the war-plagued country. The United States has put a bounty of US$25 million on his head.
On Dec. 16, another audio tape attributed to bin Laden had been posted on an Islamist website. The speaker urged al-Qaida allies to target oil production and supply facilities in Iraq and the Gulf region.