'Bin Laden' tape offers gold rewards

A new recording attributed to Osama bin Laden is offering rewards in gold for killing top American and United Nations officials or citizens of any country which has troops in Iraq.

The 20-minute audio message, posted on two Islamist websites, promised 10kg (22lb) of gold for the death of Paul Bremer, the US administrator in Iraq, Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, or Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN envoy to Iraq. At current gold prices, the reward would be worth around £70,000.

The speaker also offered a kilo of gold for killing a soldier or civilian from countries which are "possessors of the [UN security council] veto such as the Americans or Britons", and 500 grams for killing citizens of US allies, such as Japan or Italy.

"Due to the security situation, rewards will be handed over at the first possible opportunity," the voice said.

Excuse me there o great one who sits upon the camel dung heap. If Jihad is a "holy" war, why do you need to bribe the faithful to do your bidding? I guess dying to get at those 17 (the number keeps going up) virgins isn't as good a deal as some good ole hard cash.