Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in a video broadcast on Al-Jazeera television Friday night, threatened to launch new attacks against the United States similar to the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

In the video tape purportedly from Bin Laden, the first in more than one year, he directly claimed responsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks on the US in 2001.

The video tape was aired just four days ahead of the US presidential election.

Bin Laden, in traditional white robes, a turban and a cloak, accused US president George W. Bush of misleading and deceiving the Americans after the Sept. 11 attacks,

"Despite entering the fourth year after Sept. 11, Bush is still deceiving you and hiding the truth from you and therefore the reasons are still there to repeat what happened," said the al Qaida leader.

He charged that the Bush's administration was similar to "corrupt" Arab authorities.

He also told the Americans how to avoid attacks, saying the best way to avoid another disaster "was to avoid provoking Arab anger."

He solemnly claimed that the US security does not depend on whether the Americans choose Bush or Democratic challenger John Kerry in the presidential election, but the US policy.

Bin Laden explained the reason to carry out the deadly attacks on the United States in 2001, saying "we are a free people and we want to regain the freedom of our nation," adding the reason to attack the US remains, because of the US-biased policy towards Israel in the Middle East.

He said the Sept. 11 attacks would not be that severe if Bush were more alert.

The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera station has aired dozens of audio and video tapes said to be from Bin Laden and his allies. But it did not say how it got the tapes.