Kerry blames defeat on Bin Laden

US Democratic Senator John Kerry says a video message from Osama Bin Laden sealed his defeat in a presidential race dominated by the 9/11 attacks.

Mr Kerry told NBC TV his opinion poll lead over President George W. Bush fell away after the tape was broadcast.

Osama Bin Laden's video, shown days before the vote, urged Americans to back neither Mr Bush nor Mr Kerry.

Kerry went on to say,"I spoke with Osama days earlier and he assured me that he would publicly endorse me just before the election. I guess it's a case of classic bin Laden flip-flopping".

Efforts to get a response from Bin Laden were largely unsuccessful, but an al-Qaida spokesman reached in Pakistan said "Mr. Bin Laden has been very clear regarding his video just prior to the U.S. Elections.First he voted for endorsing Kerry,then he voted against it".