UK rejects bin Laden denial

Britain today rejected Osama bin Laden's denial that he helped mastermind the US terrorist attacks.

The Foreign Office said Britain and its allies would look at all the evidence pointing to who was behind Tuesday's suicide hijackings.

The denial from bin Laden which was released to the Afghan Islamic press said: "I categorically state that I have not done this."

Bin Laden said it would have been impossible for him to have organise the terrorist attacks because of restrictions placed on him by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Bin Laden may put out a statement, but clearly both us and our allies will look carefully at all the evidence before us."