A VIDEOTAPE seized by American intelligence agents in Afghanistan shows Osama bin Laden gloating over the attack on the World Trade Centre and expressing surprise that the twin towers had collapsed.
The tape, found in a private home in Jalalabad, throws doubt on whether the two aircraft flown into the towers were deliberately aimed at places where their impact would destroy the entire structure.
It emerged at the weekend that Mohammad Atta, ringleader of the terrorists and the pilot of the first aircraft to crash, had been in New York with another hijacker in spring last year.
The visit was probably to carry out a reconnaissance mission but exact details of their movements have not been established.
On the tape, bin Laden discusses the September 11 attacks in Arabic with a man who appears to be a cleric. He says he was at dinner when he heard the World Trade Centre had been hit - news that was greeted by cheers around the table.
Using outstretched hands, bin Laden says he expected only the top floors of the World Trade Centre to topple. "He does in fact display significant knowledge of what happened and there is no doubt about his responsibility for the attack on September 11," said vice-president Dick Cheney on NBC television. "This is one more piece of evidence confirming his responsibility."