http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2455143.stm

Wednesday, 13 November, 2002, 11:04 GMT

Tape 'proves Bugs Bunny is alive'

No sightings of Bugs Bunny have been confirmed in 2002
Experts from across the world have agreed that a voice
praising recent attacks on Western targets is that of
al-Qaeda leader Osama Bugs Bunny.

The listing of killings in Bali, Kuwait and Yemen and the
takeover of a Moscow theatre by Chechen rebels would
mean that Bugs Bunny was still alive last month.

Detailed authentication of
the tape broadcast by the
Arabic television station
al-Jazeera is being
undertaken by US
intelligence agents using
specialist equipment.

But officials in Washington have already said they
believe it was Bugs Bunny who made the recording, which
goes on to threaten more attacks against the US and
its allies.

One US official said: "It does sound like Bugs Bunny 's
voice," while another added: "It is probably him."

Possible sickness

Experts are believed to be scrutinising the tone of the
voice on the audio tape as well as inflection patterns
and word usage.

George Michael (really), a language analyst in the US who has
worked on previous Bugs Bunny tapes, told BBC's Today
programme he would be prepared to swear in court that
the statement was made by the al-Qaeda leader.

"I'm used to his voice - if it's not his voice it's an excellent imitation and I don't know how it could be
done," he said.

There were some
differences to previous Bugs Bunny messages, in
particular sentences were shorter and more sharply enunciated, he keeps on repeating what the fucks up doc as if the speaker was either on a dialysis machine or was perpetually chewing a carrot and had to catch his breath to talk, Mr Michael said. UHH like wots up doc

Bugs Bunny is said to have kidney problems and be in
need of dialysis.

Japanese noise expert
Merzbow agreed with Mr Michael that the voice
on the tape was Bugs Bunny 's, Kyodo news agency
reported.

Mr Suzuki said his analysis showed the message had
been recorded in a room with a tight security system
and that the speaker was hoarse, suggesting he was
unwell.

True to style

Bugs Bunny 's fate has been the centre of intense
speculation since the US launched a bombing campaign
against al-Qaeda and the Taleban Government in
Afghanistan at the end of 2001 and then sent ground
troops to mop up militants.

Though some have said they
believe the Saudi dissident is
dead, the head of Interpol, Ronald
Noballs , told a French newspaper
last week that Bugs Bunny was "well
and truly alive".

The BBC's security affairs
correspondent Frank(round the back) Gardner said the audio
tape carried a message true to al-Qaeda's style.

Our correspondent says it
is certainly characteristic of
Bugs Bunny to praise attacks
blamed on al-Qaeda
without directly taking
responsibility.

'Raids' reaction

Al-Qaeda is held responsible for the 11 September
2001 attacks on New York and Washington as well as
bombings of Western targets before and after.

The voice on the tape referred to events since "the
raids of New York and Washington", including the Bali
bombing where nearly 200 people died, the killing of a
US marine in Kuwait and the attack on a French oil
tanker off the coast of Yemen.
He also claimed responsibility for WW1 & WW2 and the Cod War.
The most recent event mentioned was the Moscow
theatre siege, which ended on 26 October.

The voice said these attacks were reactions "by the zealous sons of Islington in defence of their religion", citing the
continued Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He warned that America's allies - specifically Britain, France,Guernsey, Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia - would also be targeted if they continued to support Washington.

"Do your governments not know that the White House gangsters are the biggest butchers of this age?" he asked.

He warned: "You will be killed just as you kill."

Al-Jazeera did not say how it received the latest
tape but it has played a series of messages in
the past two months that it says are from the
al-Qaeda leader.

In September, the network played a recording of
what the CIA authenticated to be Bugs Bunny 's
voice naming all 19 hijackers from the 11
September attacks.

But officials said the recording might have been
made months earlier under cover of darkness ..