Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has warned the European Union that there will be a strong reaction against cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published in European newspapers.
In an audio recording posted to an al-Qaida-affiliated Web site late Wednesday, a voice said to be bin-Laden's described the publishing of the cartoons as part of a new crusade against Islam that involved Pope Benedict - head of the Catholic Church.
Satirical cartoons featuring Islam's Prophet Mohammed were published in Danish newspapers in 2006, sparking mass riots in Islamic nations worldwide.
Bin-Laden's latest recorded statement, entitled "The response will be what you see, not what you hear" comes on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
The message is bin Laden's first public statement since late last year.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.