Egypt ? A purported al-Qaida in Afghanistan commander claimed in an audiotape released early today that the terror group was willing to swap prisoners with the U.S., Britain and other countries.

The audiotape’s authenticity could not independently be confirmed, but it was posted on a Web site commonly used by Islamic militants. It opened with a short section that said it was produced by as-Sahab, the al-Qaida media production wing.

It was accompanied by two photos of a bearded man identified as Abu Laith al-Libi, a Libyan al-Qaida operative thought to be behind a suicide bombing that killed 23 people outside a U.S. base in Afghanistan during a February visit by Vice President Dick Cheney.