London: Terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden has appointed his eldest son 26-year-old Saad Bin Laden as his successor and ordered him to attack British and US targets, a report quoting his latest audio tape said on October 19.

The tape purportedly from the al-Qaida leader promised more suicide attacks inside and outside United States and other countries that supported the Iraq war and demanded the Americans to quit Iraq.

The news that Osama Bin Laden had named son Saad as his successor forced British Intelligence Agency Mi5 Chief Eliza Manningham-Buller to warn that al-Qaida was now stronger than ever, 'The Sunday Express' reported.

Bin Laden's decision to hand over the running of his jihad is seen as indication he is more ill, the paper said.

Saad has been linked to last week's killing of Americans in Gaza. For the past one year, he has been based in Iran.

Laden, in his latest audio tape said: "We, God willing, will continue to fight you (US) and will continue martyrdom operations inside and outside the United States until you abandon your oppression and foolish acts."

PTI