The independent TV station broadcast a two-minute recording of what it said was the voice of Bin Laden, the head of the al-Qaeda network blamed for the 11 September attacks on the US last year.

The youths of God are preparing for you things that would fill your hearts with terror and target your economic lifeline until you stop your oppression and aggression

Statement, said to be from Osama Bin Laden to the US

In the message, the speaker threatened to "strike US economic interests" if the US does not halt attacks on Arab and Muslim countries.

The broadcast came on the eve of the first anniversary of the start of a US-led military campaign against al-Qaeda and its Taleban backers in Afghanistan.

It also comes as Washington seeks to persuade the world to sanction possible military action against Iraq.

Al-Jazeera, based in Qatar, has received messages from Bin Laden before, but there has been no confirmation that this message is genuine or any indication of when it might have been made.

'To the American people'

There has been speculation - most recently from Afghan President Hamid Karzai - that Bin Laden is dead.

The voice identified as that of Bin Laden said the message was addressed to the American people.

It urged them to "understand the lesson of the New York and Washington raids which came in response to some of your previous crimes".

But it added that the activities of "the criminal gang at the White House, the Jewish agents, who are preparing for an attack and partition the Islamic world" showed nothing had been learned and further attacks were possible.

"God is my witness, the youth of Islam are preparing things that will fill your hearts with terror.

"They will target Key sectors of your economy until you stop your injustice and aggression," the statement said.