Al Jazeera, always eager to spread the message of jihad, is airing a new audiotape that’s supposedly the work of Osama bin Laden: Al-Jazeera Airs Purported Bin Laden Tape.

CAIRO, Egypt - The Al-Jazeera satellite channel broadcast an audiotape Sunday purportedly from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in which he urged Muslims to continue fighting a holy war in Iraq and the Middle East rather than cooperate with peace efforts.

The speaker, who referred to recent events — including the December capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, called on Muslims to “continue the jihad to check the conspiracies that are hatched against the Islamic nation.” He said the U.S.-led war against Iraq was the beginning of the “occupation” of Gulf states for their oil.

“My message is to incite you against the conspiracies, especially those uncovered by the occupation of the crusaders in Baghdad under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction, and also the situation in (Jerusalem) under the deceptions of the road map and the Geneva initiative,” the speaker said.

A Mideast peace plan dubbed the Geneva Accord was launched Dec. 1 by Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. The phrase “road map” refers to a U.S.-backed plan for a Palestinian state by 2005.

The tape’s authenticity could not immediately be verified, although the voice on the tape resembled that of bin Laden.

Al-Jazeera played it while showing a still photo of bin Laden against a dark blue background.

Ibrahim Hilal, Al-Jazeera’s editor-in-chief, told The Associated Press the network received the message Sunday. However, he declined to reveal how it was delivered.