White House: Can't confirm bin Laden tape authentic

WASHINGTON Jan 24 (Reuters) - A White House top adviser said on Sunday he could not confirm the authenticity of an audiotape purported to be Osama bin Laden claiming responsibility for the Dec. 25 attempted bombing of a U.S.-bound plane.

"I can't confirm that (al Qaeda's responsibility for the attack) nor can we confirm the authenticity of the tape, but assuming that it is him, his message contains the same hollow justifications for the mass slaughter of innocents that we've heard before," David Axelrod said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. (Reporting by Vicki Allen; Editing by Peter Cooney)