He claims to hate everything the West stands for. But yesterday it emerged that Osama bin Laden sought asylum in Britain even as he was planning the September 11 attacks on the US.

The typical recruit to Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organisation, is upper middle class, has been educated in the West and is from a professional background, according to a new study.

Osama bin Laden vowed to bleed America to bankruptcy, according to a full transcript of unaired portions of a videotape released Monday by an Arab television station. The al-Qaida leader's remarks appeared targeted to the final days of the U.S. presidential campaign in which the struggling economy is a major issue.

Arabic TV station al-Jazeera has aired a videotape in which Osama Bin Laden threatens fresh attacks on the US.

The war in Iraq probably helped boost al-Qaeda recruitment, according to a report from leading Western think-tank.

LONDON: Al-Qaeda is present in more than 60 countries around the world and radical Islam is increasing in Western Europe, where Muslims often feel marginalised, a respected military and defence think tank in London said Tuesday.

Osama bin Laden is trying, knowingly or otherwise, to take over the world disguised as a computer virus.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – An al-Qaeda group said Friday it killed American hostage Paul M. Johnson Jr, posting three photos on the Internet showing his body and severed head.

A new tape said to have been made by Osama Bin Laden is probably genuine, CIA experts have reportedly concluded.

CAIRO (AFP) - The United States has destroyed the al-Qaeda terror network as an Islamic militant group but its leaders can still spur "angry young people" into staging attacks worldwide, an Egyptian lawyer said.

The US and her allies are losing the war on terror, with al-Qa'eda growing in power, a British academic has claimed.

BBC, May 12, 2003