Capture of Bin Laden a top 'priority': White House adviser

WASHINGTON: Capturing and killing Osama Bin Laden is a "huge priority" for the US, White House homeland security adviser Frances Townsend a TV channel on Thursday, after reports of a forthcoming video message by the al-Qaeda chief.

Obviously, it's a huge priority for us to capture and kill Bin Laden and bring he and the rest of the leadership to justice," said Townsend, following an online announcement from the al-Qaeda network that its leader would issue a video message marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Townsend said the video would be watched closely by US authorities but described it and previous Al-Qaeda statements as propaganda meant to spread fear.

"I just think people have got to be clear that we're being manipulated every time that they issue a statement, because they're trying to use the media as a way to terrorize us," she said.

Asked about the US failure to capture Bin Laden since the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, Townsend said: "Well, it's not for a lack of resources devoted against that task."

While other senior figures had been tracked down, "there is no greater target on our al-Qaeda list than Bin Laden," Townsend said.

She said that the video message would be examined carefully by intelligence experts. "If such a tape is put out, we will look at things like, what is his appearance, what does he refer?"