Israel Treating Bin Laden Threat Seriously

A day after the elusive al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden vowed to expand his group's war to Zionist regime, Tel-Aviv has said that it was taking his threats seriously.

Bin Laden vowed an unusually direct attack on Zionist regime, threatening "blood for blood, destruction for destruction" in the 56-minute audiotape tape released Saturday.

Zionist regime's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said on Sunday that al-Qaida operatives have been closing in on Israel in recent years, and his country was aware of the potential danger.

"Israel takes bin Laden's threats seriously. We have seen al-Qaida activity to the north of Israel, in Lebanon, to the east of Israel, in Jordan, and to the south of Israel, in Sinai," Regev said.

"There is also evidence of al-Qaida activities in the Palestinian territories. As a result, we will be irresponsible not to take this rhetoric seriously."