COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct 29 (AFP) - Osama bin Laden jolted the tight US presidential race Friday with a warning of new attacks on the United States as President George W. Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry sparred over who would best lead the fight against Al-Qaeda.
Both candidates accused the other of playing politics with the war on terror following the airing by the Al-Jazeera television network of a videotape from the mastermind behind September 11, 2001 strikes on New York and Washington which left some 3,000 people dead.
Not quite two hours after reaching out to Kerry in his first public remarks on the bin Laden message, Bush said the Democrat`s charge that bad strategy let the Al-Qaeda leader escape US forces in late 2001 was "especially shameful."
"Unfortunately my opponent tonight continued to say things he knows are not true, accusing our military of passing up a chance to get Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora," an Afghan stronghold, in 2001, the Republican president told cheering supporters here.
"As the commander in charge of that operation, (retired general) Tommy Franks has said: It`s simply not the case," Bush said. "It is especially shameful in the light of a new tape from America`s enemy."
The president`s comments came as he enlisted Hollywood action star and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bid to terminate Kerry`s hopes in this critical up-for-grabs state.
"Now is the time to flex your muscles for bold leadership, for a strong economy," the former bodybuilding superstar said. "If you flex your muscles November 2nd, I guarantee you: President Bush will be back."
Bin Laden`s message came just four days from the end of the neck-and-neck race that has been dominated by national security and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
"Let me make this very clear. America will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our country," Bush said earlier during a campaign stop at Toledo, Ohio. "I am sure Senator Kerry agrees with this.
"I also want to say to the American people that we are at war with these terrorists. And I am confident that we will prevail."
Kerry made an equally blunt response, vowing to "destroy" bin Laden if he is elected president.
"In response to this tape of Osama bin Laden, let me just make it clear, crystal clear, as Americans we are absolutely united in our determination to hunt down and destroy Osama bin Laden and the terrorists.
"They are barbarians and I will stop at absolutely nothing to hunt down, capture or kill the terrorists wherever they are, whatever it takes," Kerry told reporters on the tarmac at West Palm Beach airport.
But Kerry`s earlier comments on bin Laden`s bombshell appearance were more controversial, in a television interview conducted by satellite with a Milwaukee, Wisconsin television station.
After vowing to hunt down and kill terrorists, and noting that America was united in that desire, Kerry said: "I regret that when George Bush had the opportunity in Afghanistan at Tora Bora, he didn`t use our sources to hunt down and kill Osama Bin Laden. He outsourced to the war lords."
Kerry has repeatedly charged that poor planning allowed bin Laden escape in the Afghan mountains, but the line took on much greater significance in light of the Bin Laden tape.
Aides said Kerry made the comment in the knowledge that there was a bin Laden tape, but without knowing its contents.
He steered well clear of the line in his next rally, in Miami, vowing only to make America safer than Bush, and to fight a smarter, more effective and more strategic anti-terror campaign.
And his campaign sharply criticized Bush for making the tape a "political issue.
"The president was briefed on the tape before he delivered one of his most negative and divisive attacks of this campaign," Kerry spokesman Chad Clanton said. "America deserves a national security debate on the merits rather than a president who deliberately resorts to distortions, falsehoods and untruths on a regular basis."
The tape, and its uncertain impact on Tuesday`s election had both campaigns struggling for a quick response.
A senior State Department official said US diplomats in Qatar were given a copy of a videotape before it aired on Al-Jazeera and unsuccessfully sought to prevent the Arabic-language network from broadcasting it.
US television news channels broke into their programs to show the Al-Qaeda leader`s ominous message to the American people. US intelligence officials and the White House said the tape appeared authentic.
"Despite the fact that we are into the fourth year after September 11, Bush is still misleading you and hiding the real reason from you, which means that the reasons to repeat what happened remain," bin Laden said in his threat.
Bin Laden also warned it made no difference who wins Tuesday`s elections.
"Your security is not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or Al-Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands. Any state which does not play havoc with our security would automatically ensure its own security," he said.
10/30/2004 02:54 GMT - AFP