Al-Jazeera draws criticism

LONDON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The Arab satellite channel al-Jazeera is being criticized for broadcasting a message in which Osama bin Laden admits al-Qaida made mistakes in Iraq.

The broadcast has resulted in a stream of abusive and threatening messages being posted on the channel's Web site, The Telegraph (London) reported Friday.

In addition to the admission, the al-Qaida leader appears humble in advising Muslims "to avoid extremism in men and groups."

"Al-Jazeera directors have shamefully chosen to back the Crusaders' side and the defenders of hypocrites and the thugs and traitors of Iraq," one viewer wrote.

Another called the channel a "miserable fly in the rubbish" for showing bin Laden in a less than favorable light adding, "Your day will come, vile one. As long as we live, you won't be safe, Jazeera."

Based in the Gulf kingdom of Qatar, al-Jazeera reports some 40 million viewers across the Arab world.