WASHINGTON, July 7 (Xinhua) -- An audiotape aired last Friday on the Arabic Al-Jazeera television network is most likely the voice of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, CIA officials said on Monday.

　　"The CIA's assessment, after a technical analysis of the tape, is that it i s most likely his voice," CIA spokesman Bill Harlow said.

　　But the spokesman said, "The exact date of the recording cannot be determined because the quality of the tape is very poor." Other U.S. intelligence officials said the recording is filled with background noise.

　　The speaker in the audiotape called on the Iraqi people to "protect the heroic resistance fighters and not to give the infidel invaders or their aides any information or help." End