By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor

A last will and testament dated December 14, 2001 and signed by Osama bin Laden has been published in the London-based Arabic-language magazine Majallah, which claimed it obtained the document earlier this month from what it called a "very reliable" source in Afghanistan, reports CNN. The will is liberally sprinkled with verses from the Koran, and Al Majallah indicated the wording sounded like a man who is close to death.

In December 2001, the United States was bombing what it hoped was bin Laden's lair in Afghanistan. Of the will Al Majallah editor-in-chief Hani Nakshabandi said: "Reading it, you get the impression of a dying man. It may be that he was wounded and felt he was dying." Bin Laden whined repeatedly about betrayal, writing in the will, "We saw the cowardly crusaders and the lowly Jews hold fast while fighting us, while soldiers of our nation raised the white flag and surrendered to their enemies. Even amongst the students of religion, only few stood their ground and fought, and the rest either surrendered or fled," the document says, referring to the Taliban, according to a translation for CNN. He asks his sons to forgive him for spending his time on the path of Jihad instead of with them. He advises his children to remain faithful to God, but then weirdly warns them: "This is the most precious advice I can give you. I also want you to stay away from al Qaeda," asking them "not to follow in his path and seek leadership." CNN was not able to verify if the will was authentic.

I don't know Osama, but that doesn't seem like it fits to me. I wouldn't believe it unless his dead carcass was attached to it.