New Osama Bin Laden Tape Expected To Surface Soon

Osama bin Laden may be dead, but U.S. officials expect at least one new bin Laden tape to surface soon, according to multiple reports.

According to The New York Daily News, bin Laden may have ordered the tape to be released in the event of his death.

The tape is said to be a recording created not long before his death, though authorities say there is no indication he knew the United States was closing in on him. It's not clear whether it's audio or video.

Media outlets will have a tough decision on their hands when the tape does surface. Airing it could potentially boost his legacy as a martyr and incite new violence.

The Associated Press reports about the tape:

A new recording from bin Laden would provide a final word from the beyond grave for a terrorist who taunted the U.S. with recorded propaganda for years. It could also provide fodder to those who insist he is still alive.

A U.S. official told the AP the tape is "already working its way through al-Qaida's media pipeline."