CAIRO, May 19: In a recording made shortly before his death, Osama bin Laden praised the mass protests that have toppled and shaken long-time rulers across the Arab world.

Bin Laden’s message, released on militant websites on Thursday and addressed to “the Muslim nation”, represents an attempt by him to remain relevant following sweeping changes in which Al Qaeda and other militant groups have played almost no role.

“The winds of change will spread through the entire Islamic world, God willing,” Bin Laden said in the 12-minute audio message. “The youth need to make necessary preparations and not act without consulting the experience of the honest ones and those who are far from half solutions and compromises with the oppressors.”

Bin Laden said it was a “religious obligation” to form a council that would provide guidance for all Muslims on important issues --- apparently a way for Al Qaeda to play a role in the protests’ future. He said the council could open an “operations room” and rely on “qualified research centres” to guide “those peoples whose revolution has not yet begun”.—AP