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WASHINGTON, Thursday (AFP) The leadership of the al-Qaeda militant group may have approved another terror attack against the United States or its interests abroad, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned.

The bureau cited statements by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his top aide Ayman al-Zawahiri broadcast earlier this week by the Qatar-based, Arabic satellite television channel al-Jazeera.

"The statements suggest that an attack may have been approved, while the specific timing is left to operatives in the field," the FBI said in an advisory sent to state and local law enforcement agencies.

The bureau said that due to a lack of specific information about time or place, the suspected attack will not lead to a change in the homeland security threat level, which will remain at "yellow," or elevated.

But it urged local authorities to take "additional prudent steps to detect, disrupt, deter and defend against potential attacks against our nation's critical infrastructure and installations at home and abroad."

On Sunday, al-Jazeera played a two-minute recorded statement by bin Laden, who is wanted in the United Stated for last year's September 11 terror attacks, during which hijacked passenger planes were rammed into the twin towers of World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon building outside Washington killing 3,025 people.

"The youth of Islam are preparing something to strike fear in your hearts and will target the vital sectors of your economy until you renounce your injustice and hostility," the al-Qaeda leader said on the tape.

US officials later confirmed that bin Laden's voice on the tape appeared to be genuine but it was impossible to say when the recording was made.

The bin Laden threat was followed later in the week by remarks by Zawahari, the Egyptian-born strategist of the group, who warned that al-Qaeda was preparing fresh strikes against the United States and its allies, notably France and Germany.

A US official said Wednesday the Zawahari recording was also most likely genuine.

Meanwhile A terrorism expert who has interviewed captured members of the al-Qaeda network said in remarks broadcast Thursday that the group has trained to carry out attacks on Australia and may already have dispatched a cell of fighters to the country.

"A number of al-Qaeda members were tasked to enter Australia for the purpose of destroying targets inside Australia," Rohan Gunaratna told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Gunaratna said his discussions with captured al-Qaeda fighters indicated that two or three members of the group may have already entered Australia, but he was unable to say what their targets might be.

"The Australian government does not perceive there to be a significant threat to Australia at this moment," he said in an interview for ABC television's Lateline program. "And I believe that assessment is wrong.

"The Australian government should do whatever is possible to detect those al-Qaeda members who have been tasked to enter Australia," he said.

Gunaratna, author of the book "Inside al-Qaeda", said his information clearly indicated al-Qaeda's southeast Asian network, Jemaah Islamiyah, had support cells operating in Australia.

His warning came two days after a message purporting to come from a top al-Qaeda leader warned the group was planning a new wave of attacks on the United States and its close allies.

The threat came in a broadcast recording which the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television identified as the voice of Ayman al-Zawahiri, believed to be the top deputy to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"America and her allies must know that their crimes will not pass without punishment," the voice said on the tape.

"We have delivered some messages to the allies of America so that they cease their involvement in the American crusade," it said.

Australia is one of Washington's closest allies in the war on terrorism launched after al-Qaeda carried out the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Australian troops are fighting alongside US forces trying to wipe out the remnants of al-Qaeda units in Afghanistan and Canberra has strongly backed US threats of military force against Iraq -- accused of links to al-Qaeda.

Australian Attorney General Daryl Williams rejected Gunaratna's suggestion the government was unprepared for a possible terrorist attack but said he would like more specific information on the threat.

"I don't know to what particular operatives Mr. Gunaratna is referring, but I can assure the Australian public that we take all possible steps to monitor the activities of anybody who may present a risk to the community," he told ABC Television.

Williams said intelligence authorities were aware that people with possible Jemaah Islamiyah links visited Australia before last September and were investigating any possible regional links between the group and the country.

"At present we know of no specific threat to Australia or Australian interests," he said. 

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