Ousted Taleban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, says the insurgency in Afghanistan will become more intense in the coming months.
In a message to news agencies and in a web posting, the former Afghan leader lamented that Afghanistan is still under the control of what he called crusaders. He predicted that western forces in Afghanistan will be defeated.
In the message, Omar called Afghan President Hamid Karzai a servant of crusaders and said Mr. Karzai will be brought before an Islamic court.
Mullah Omar has been in hiding since the U.S. toppled his regime in 2001.
News agencies say the mullah's message was timed to coincide with the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the feast Eid al-Fitr.
Its authenticity could not be verified.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in late 2001 after demanding that Omar turn over al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, whose followers attacked the twin towers in New York City as well as the Pentagon in Washington.
Bin Laden was living at the time in Taleban-ruled Afghanistan. Omar refused to arrest him.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.