Bin Laden behind Christmas Day bomb plot

CAIRO: Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day airline bombing attempt in Detroit, in an audio message released yesterday, and vowed further attacks on the US.

The message suggests that bin Laden wants to show he remains in direct command of Al-Qaida's many branches around the world.

In a short recording carried by the Al-Jazeera Arabic news channel, bin Laden addressed US President Barack Obama saying the attack was a message similar to that of Sept 11 and more attacks against the US would be forthcoming.