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Sept 11 strikes cost US one-trillion-dollars: Laden

In the complete interview of Osama bin Laden aired by the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television channel on Thursday night, the Saudi renegade pegs the cost of the September 11 terror strikes on the United States economy at one-trillion-dollars.

The figure quoted by bin Laden far exceeds estimates released by the International Monetary Fund and other sources.

The IMF's most recent report on the world economic climate -- published in mid-December -- pegged the loss to the US economy at around 0.25 per cent of US gross domestic product or 25.5 billion dollars.

"These blessed (September 11) strikes caused losses of more than a trillion dollars for America, by their own admission on the New York market and elsewhere," Osama said in the interview.

"America is in decline... The economic drain is continuing, but more strikes are required and the youths must strike the key sectors of the American economy," he said.

In its report, the IMF also added estimates of the indirect costs inflicted in the attacks -- including a decline in travel and the premium businesses now must pay for increased security.

Taking factors such as these into account, the costs of the attacks could soar to 0.75 per cent of GDP, or 76.5 billion dollars.

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