Al Qaeda urges Israel attacks
2008-03-24 08:04
Firouz Sedarat & Sami Aboudi
Dubai - Al Qaeda's second-in-command
Ayman al-Zawahri called for attacks on Israeli and Western
targets to avenge Israel's raids on the Gaza Strip, in an audio
tape posted on the internet on Monday.
"O Muslims. Today is your day. Hit the interest of the Jews
and the Americans and all those who participated in the
aggression against Muslims," said the speaker on the tape who
sounded like Zawahri.
"Monitor the targets, collect the money, prepare the
hardware, plan accurately and then attack," he added, without
specifically naming any targets.
"No one can say today that we
should fight the Jews in Palestine only."
The recording, posted on websites often used by al Qaeda
and other Islamic militant groups, was produced by al Qaeda's
media arm As-Sahab.
Zawahri called for Muslims to support Palestinians in the
Gaza Strip in the face of Israeli air strikes, but said
demonstrations only served to let out steam, and that they
should focus on armed struggle.
'Bleed for every dollar'
"Let them know that they would bleed for every dollar they
spend on killing Muslims," Zawahri said.
"They cannot ... insult our prophet and support Israel, and
expect to live in peace in their countries," he added, referring
to the publication in the West of cartoons mocking Prophet
Mohammad.
Zawahri accused Arab leaders of collusion with the United
States and Israel in blockading Palestinians in Gaza.
He singled
out the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, calling them
part of a "satanic alliance".
"The satanic alliance shows us its ugliness and how low it
is, an alliance of the crusaders and the Jews and with them
(Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak, and (Saudi Arabia's ruling)
Saud family and the son of al-Hussein (Jordan's King Abdullah).
Israel has launched frequent air raids on the Gaza Strip and
vowed to continue to stop missile attacks by Palestinian
militant groups on Israel.
- Reuters