Doha: A top leader of the al-Qaeda terror network today (Feb 24, 2004) urged American President George Bush to step up security even as he threatened fresh attacks on US through a recorded tape broadcast by noted Arab satellite television Al-Jazeera.

"Bush, reinforce your security measures ... the Islamic nation which sent you the New York and Washington brigades has taken the firm decision to send you successive brigades to sow death and aspire to paradise," said the speaker purported to be Ayman al-Zawahiri.

"Al-Qaeda is still waging jihad (holy war) and brandishes the banner of Islam against the Zionist-crusader campaign."

The speaker, said to be the deputy to Osama bin Laden, who masterminded the September 11 suicide hijackings, said he was commenting on declarations by Bush on February 8 that the United States was doing a "very good job" dismantling al-Qaeda.

"Three other allegations by Bush ... that his forces are spreading peace and freedom in the world, that Iraq has found freedom thanks to coalition forces and that the situation in Afghanistan is stable," also came under fire.

"His forces are not spreading peace and freedom but fear and desolation and appointing corrupt Governments and protecting them," the speaker said.

"Iraq does not enjoy freedom and security but has gone from the tyranny of a secular dictator and enemy of Islam ... to that of a crusader-occupier hostile to Islam who kills, tortures and steals what he wants while claming that American forces are hunting illusory weapons of mass destruction."