Elusive Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden vows to step up the battle to end the war in Iraq in a new video which contains references suggesting it was made recently, US media reported Friday.
According to a transcript of the video obtained by ABC News, bin Laden apparently says there are two ways to end the Iraq war.
"The first is from our side, and it is to continue to escalate the killing and fighting against you," bin Laden says, according to the transcript published by ABC.
The second is to do away with the American democratic system of government, ABC said, adding the video was about 30 minutes long.
US officials were Friday analyzing the video to check its authenticity after US services monitoring Islamic militant websites announced late Thursday that bin Laden was apparently to appear in a recording to mark next week's anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
CNN reported that a senior official told the network that the video "contains no overt threats but does contain several date references, including one that, if confirmed, would indicate the tape is new."
"It's quite possible this is a new video," a CIA spokesman also told ABC News.
ABC said the transcript contained references to Nicolas Sarkozy's victory in the French presidential elections in May and to the Iraq war in 2007 suggesting that it was made recently.
If the tape is authenticated it would mark bin Laden's first such appearance since October 2004, when he threatened new attacks against the United States just days before US elections.
Bin Laden, wanted for the 2001 attacks blamed on Al-Qaeda, has evaded capture by US authorities despite a 25-million dollar bounty on his head.
According to the transcript, bin Laden opens with "praise to Allah" and his "law of retaliation" -- "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and the killer is killed."
Bin Laden also addresses the American people directly saying: "People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped.
"Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven't made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there."
According to the SITE intelligence group, Al-Qaeda network's media arm, as-Sahab, announced the release of the new video in a notice posted on jihadist forums at about 2115 GMT Thursday.
It is expected to be shown in the coming days.
According to the transcript obtained by ABC, bin Laden also speaks about recent issues grabbing headlines in the United States, referring to "the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages; global warming and its woes."
"To conclude," bin Laden says, "I invite you to embrace Islam."
US government officials confirmed on Friday that they were studying the video to see if it was authentic.
