(Reuters) Osama bin Laden's first video in almost three years has drawn enthusiastic support from al Qaeda supporters but other Muslims in the Arab world seem less impressed, and wary of new violence.
Marking the sixth anniversary of the group's September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, the Saudi-born militant described the United States as vulnerable, a message some of his followers saw as a sign a new operation might be approaching.
Analysts were divided as to whether the appearance was intended to inspire new attacks.
Although bin Laden made no specific threat, many Islamist bloggers echoed a conclusion drawn by a moderator of an al Qaeda-linked Web forum: "The coming strike is inevitable, God willing."
Many repeated the same phrase verbatim, while others expressed happiness at seeing bin Laden, who is widely believed to be hiding out in mountains on the Afghan-Pakistan border.
"Oh, worshippers of the cross ... you will not have time to understand what is happening to you. Your arrogance will not help you, nor will the lies of your media when you see the news with your own eyes," wrote a blogger using the alias al-Yaqoubi.
Another wrote: "I would sacrifice my mother and father for you, my sheikh. Strike, may God guide your aim and that of your soldiers. Strike and bring pleasure to the hearts of Muslims."
In the video called the "the solution" by al Qaeda's media arm, bin Laden urged Americans to ditch capitalist democracy and embrace Islam if they want to end the war in Iraq