White House cool on bin Laden tape

FT: Many Americans yesterday heard about the latest tape by Osama bin Laden - the first word from him in more than a year - before George W. Bush was informed of it. The president was delivering a speech on the economy in Virginia, and while US networks were reporting the news before his talk began, aides waited to inform him of the news until after his remarks.

The decision to wait underscores Washington's tepid reaction to Mr bin Laden's tape, which the White House yesterday portrayed as a sign of weakness from the al-Qaeda leader.

The US did not raise the terror alert in response to the tape, and John Crouch, deputy national security adviser, told CNN that the administration saw Mr bin Laden's threat as general in nature, and not particular. Read more