Updated

An audiotape purportedly by key terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (search) boasts in an apparently recent recording that Islamic holy warriors have humiliated the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

There was no way to verify the authenticity of the 45-minute recording or the date it was made. The audiotape surfaced Saturday, the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, on a Web site known for its Islamic (search) content.

The voice on the tape was similar to that of previous recordings of al-Zarqawi and used a similar style of rhythmic speech. There was no reference to Sept. 11.

The tape, initially spotted by U.S.-based counterterrorism expert Evan Kohlmann, opened with bits of Islamic song and old speeches before introducing the speaker as al-Zarqawi.

"The holy warriors made the international coalition taste humiliation, kicked unforgettable slaps and taught them ... lessons they are still burning from," the speaker said.

The speaker then made reference to the July and August fighting in the Iraqi city of Najaf (search), saying "it was not Najaf they were after, but the courageous and steadfast Sunni Triangle." He was referring to a large swath of land to the north and west of Baghdad where resistance to the American-led forces is fiercest.