Al-Qaeda tape lauds al-Zarqawi

2006-06-09 17:05

Cairo - Al-Jazeera satellite channel broadcast excerpts of a video tape by the deputy leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri, on Friday, in which he spoke about Palestinian and Egyptian politics and the situation in Darfur.

An Al-Jazeera announcer said the tape was made before the announcement of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death on Thursday, because, in the tape, al-Zawahri praised the Iraqi al-Qaeda leader's efforts to confront United States-led forces in Iraq.

"God bless the prophet of Islam in Iraq, the persistent hero of Islam, the Holy Warriors Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," al-Zawahri said on the tape.

Al-Zawahri sent greetings to the Shura council of Mujahedeen in Iraq, "who are confronting crusaders and their apostate aids and the merchants of religion".

Wearing a white turban and tunic, al-Zawahri's appeared against a black background. He repeatedly waved his right hand and pointed his finger.

In the tape, Al-Zawahri urged Muslims to reject a referendum in Palestine: "I call on Muslims to reject any referendum on Palestine, because Palestine is a house of Islam and not subject to any compromise."

"I call upon Muslim everywhere to support the brothers in Palestine," he said mentioning Islamist groups, prisoners and their families.

Al-Zawahri, who has focussed on political issues before in his tapes, discussed the campaign by a group of Egyptian judges for the independence of the Egyptian judiciary, and the situation in Darfur, Sudan.

- AP