'Bin Laden' in warning to France after kidnap in Niger

LONDON. October 28. KAZINFORM Osama Bin Laden has reportedly tied the kidnapping of five French people in Niger to France's treatment of its Muslim minority; Kazinform refers to BBC.

An audio message said to have been recorded by the al-Qaeda leader says the abduction was retaliation for "France's injustice to Muslims".

It says forthcoming French curbs on the full veil are "colonial oppression".

The speaker identified as Bin Laden also tells France to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

Bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks on the US and other atrocities, is America's most wanted man.

Believed by some to have been killed years ago, he is said by others to be still alive, living in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region; Kazinform cites BBC.

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