A new Democratic group that is running advertisements against Howard Dean and has not yet disclosed its sources of financing has introduced by far the toughest commercial of the primary election season.

Whoever is behind this should crawl out from underneath their rock and have the courage to say who they are. It is hateful, it's cynical, it's exactly the kind of ad that keeps people from voting, that keeps people from getting involved in the process.

Tricia Enright, a spokeswoman for Dr. Dean

Though the advertisement, which began running on Friday in South Carolina and New Hampshire, is paid for by Democrats, it offers a taste of a likely Republican strategy against Dr. Dean should he win the presidential nomination.

The spot opens with a Time magazine cover featuring Osama bin Laden as synthesizer music seemingly out of a post-apocalyptic science fiction movie is heard.

As the camera focuses on Mr. bin Laden's eyes. the following words flash on the screen: "Dangerous World," "Destroy Us," "Dangers Ahead" and "No Experience."

"Americans want a president who can face the dangers ahead," an announcer intones. "But Howard Dean has no military or foreign policy experience. And Howard Dean just cannot compete with George Bush on foreign policy. It's time for Democrats to think about that — and think about it now."

The advertisement is the latest salvo in what amounts to a "stop Dean" campaign sponsored by the new Democratic group, Americans for Jobs, Health Care and Progressive Values.

The group's president, Edward F. Feighan, a former Ohio congressman, donated $2,000 to the campaign of Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, records show, and its treasurer, David Jones, has worked as a fund-raiser for Mr. Gephardt. Its spokesman, Robert Gibbs, recently resigned as the press secretary for Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, another presidential candidate.

Staff members for Mr. Gephardt and Mr. Kerry acknowledged earlier this fall that they had occasionally shared information about Dr. Dean as they prepared attacks against him.

But officials with the Kerry and Gephardt campaigns denied any involvement with the new group, which under campaign finance law does not have to disclose its donor list until the end of January, one month after the reporting quarter ends.

Mr. Gibbs emphasized in an interview that he left the Kerry campaign several weeks ago, after a staff shake-up that left many embittered.

The mystery about who is financing the group, which began its efforts about two weeks ago with an advertisement highlighting past support for Dr. Dean from the National Rifle Association, infuriated Dr. Dean's campaign staff.

"Whoever is behind this should crawl out from underneath their rock and have the courage to say who they are," said Tricia Enright, a spokeswoman for Dr. Dean. "It is hateful, it's cynical, it's exactly the kind of ad that keeps people from voting, that keeps people from getting involved in the process."

Mr. Jones, the group's treasurer, said in response, "We will disclose donors when the law requires." He pointed out that he had raised money in the past not only for Mr. Gephardt, but also for many others, including Vice President Al Gore and Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York.

It is unclear what sort of effects the commercial might have on voters, who experts say tend to be turned off by advertising that can be perceived as overly negative.

Mr. Jones said the advertisement was simply emphasizing a crucial campaign issue. "Foreign policy experience and military experience is going to be, if not one of the top issues, the top issue, over the next year," he said. "And the question is going to be raised: Who has the experience to handle it?"

Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

###