London: Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has issued a new tape threatening to kill all the French nationals it has kept hostages, if France does not withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
The message said that hostages will be killed if President Nicolas Sarkozy does not withdraw troops from "Muslim lands", the Daily Mail reported in London.
The Al Qaeda has been holding seven people, including five French nationals, in its custody in Niger since September. Two French journalists captured over a year ago are also in their captivity in Afghanistan.
"President Nicolas Sarkozy's refusal to remove his forces from Afghanistan is nothing but a green light for killing the French hostages," Bin Laden said in the audio tape.
"But we will not do that at the time that he determines to try and finish off with the repercussions of his position, which will cost him dearly within France and outside of it."
The audio warned Sarkozy to withdraw troops from "our countries" adding that not doing so would cost the French "inside France and outside". Bin Laden said: "with its debt and budget deficit (France) does not need new fronts."
The tape, passed to Arabic news channel al-Jazeera, has not yet been verified.
Bin Laden has warned in an earlier tape on October 27 that French citizens would be killed to avenge their support for the war in Afghanistan. The French foreign ministry said at the time they believed that tape was authentic.
Earlier this month two French hostages kidnapped in Niger were killed - despite military attempts to rescue them.
They were kidnapped by four armed men while eating in a restaurant in Niamey, the Niger capital, on January 7 before being found dead two days later.
Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.
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