from the Department of Star Witnesses

CAIRO, Egypt (ap) -- Osama bin Laden purportedly said in an audio tape Tuesday that neither Zacarias Moussaoui -- the only person convicted in the U.S. for the Sept. 11 attacks -- nor any Illinois politician had anything to do with any al-Qaida operation.

"He had no connection at all with Sept. 11," the speaker claiming to be bin Laden said in the tape posted on the Internet. "Oh yeah, and George Ryan. He's innocent, too."

Bin Laden also called all Illinois public officials innocent, claiming they were jailed to justify the cost of the war on the political corruption.

A counterterror officials said the message is part of the terror mastermind's continuing effort to demonstrate he is a relevant extremist leader, who is knowledgeable of current events. The official said the message was made for propaganda purposes, and it does not contain any threats, except perhaps one.

"I can't wait to see The da Vinci Code," bin Laden said. "I hear it's the bomb!"