Bin Laden lauds 9/11 'champions'

Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden eulogized a September 11 hijacker as a rare and magnificent man in a tape released yesterday to mark the sixth anniversary of the attacks on the United States.

Hijacker Waleed al-Shehri, seen delivering his last testament dressed in white robes and turban, denounces his enemies as cowards, and vows: "We shall come at you from your front, back, right and left and from above and below you."

In the 47-minute videotape release by Al-Qaida's media arm As-Sahab, what appeared to be bin Laden's voice can be heard over a still image of him, praising Shehri. There was no immediate independent confirmation the voice was bin Laden's.