New York: The US intelligence officials have concluded that the latest audiotape broadcast by an Arabic television channel is that of Osama bin Laden, the first definitive evidence in almost a year that the international terrorist mastermind is alive.

"Our intelligence experts do believe that the tape is genuine," White House spokesman Scott Mclellan said.

"It is clear that the tape was made in the last several weeks. It cannot be stated with 100 per cent certainty," he said.

The audiotape, broadcast by the al-Jazeera television channel on Nov 12 was analysed by the CIA and National Security agencies, which listens to communications around the world.

The voice sounds like the terror mastermind himself, reading a prepared statement promising new terror acts against the US and its allies, a senior official said.

It is the first proof in almost a year that bin Laden survived the US-led bombing in Afghanistan in the months after Sept 11, 2001.

However, the tape gives little clue to bin Laden's location or his health, officials said. Although his whereabouts are unknown, US officials believe he is probably hiding in a remote mountainous region in the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

PTI