On the eve of the second anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks in the US, Qatar-based Al Jazeera television channel aired a tape showing Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahri.

The channel also aired an audio tape in which Zawahri described the Al Qaeda's terror attacks (in the US) so far as nothing more than 'skirmishes' and warned of bigger things to come.

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He devoted a good amount of time to Pakistan.

Zawahri warned Muslims in Pakistan about 'Hindu soldiers raiding your homes with the help of the Americans' and urged them to overthrow President Gen Pervez Musharraf, 'who sold the Muslims' blood in Afghanistan'.

Calling him a traitor, Zawahri accused Musharraf of selling out to the Americans. "He opened up nuclear installations to US inspection, choked off the jihad in Kashmir and is planning to recognise Israel - all for a handful of dollars the Americans stack in his pocket.

"The officers and soldiers of the Pakistani army should realise that Musharraf will hand them over to the Indians and flee abroad to enjoy his secret bank accounts," Zawahri said.

Meanwhile, American insurance companies have sued Al Qaeda and others allegedly related to the terrorist network in a bid to recover billions of dollars paid out to victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Among the defendants named in the twin suits filed in New York and Washington are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.

Blaming Al Qaeda and its supporters for the 9/11 attacks, the insurance companies sought to recover the approximately $4 billion paid out in claims and have also filed for punitive damages amounting to approximately $300 billion.