CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Al-Qaida deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on Muslims in a new audiotape released Monday to strike Jewish and American targets in revenge for Israel's recent offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The al-Zawahri tape came on the heels of a message from Osama bin Laden, who called for a holy war to liberate the Palestinian territories. Together, the two messages appeared to be a more direct push by the terror network's leadership to use widespread anger over the Gaza violence to whip up support.
Israel's weeklong offensive in Gaza ended in early March. It was launched in an attempt to put down Palestinian militants firing rockets against nearby the Israeli town of Sderot and city of Ashkelon. The Israeli assault killed more than 120 people, including many civilians. Three Israelis also were killed.
Bin Laden and al-Zawahri have frequently referred to the Palestinian cause in their past messages, but usually in broader terms of liberating Jerusalem and denouncing Israeli violence. Their latest calls for attacks, however, had a more immediate and urgent tone.
The string of messages has raised concerns that al-Qaida could be planning new attacks in the West — or is seeking to inspire its sympathizers to carry out violence. In another message last week, bin Laden warned of a "severe" reaction against Europe after Danish papers published a cartoon seen as insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
The authenticity of the 4 minute, 44-second audiotape could not be independently confirmed. But the voice resembled that of al-Zawahri on previous audio and videotapes confirmed to be his. It was posted on an Islamic militant Web site where al-Qaida usually releases its statements, and a banner advertising the tape had the logo of al-Qaida's media arm, Al-Sahab.
"Muslims, today is your day. Strike the interests of the Jews, the Americans, and all those who participated in the attack on Muslims," al-Zawahri said. "Monitor the targets, collect money, prepare the equipment, plan with precision, and then — while relying on God — assault, seeking martyrdom and paradise."
Al-Zawahri said attacks should not be limited to places in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
"Today there is no room for he who says that we should only fight the Jews in Palestine," he said. "Let us strike their interests everywhere, just like they gathered against us from everywhere."
"Let them know that they will get blood for every dollar they spend in the killing of the Muslims, and for every bullet they fire at us, a volcano will turn back on them," he said, referring to American military aid and other ties to Israel. "They cannot expect to support Israel, then live in peace while the Jews are killing our fugitive and besieged people."
Israeli officials declined to comment on the new tape.
Al-Zawahri also referred to the publishing of the cartoon seen as insulting Islam's prophet. The cartoons, which sparked deadly riots across the Muslim world in 2006 after they were first published, were reprinted last month.
"They will never be able to insult and make a mockery out of our Prophet, peace and prayers of Allah upon him," al-Zawahri said.
The Egyptian-born Al-Zawahri accused Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of colluding with Israel in the siege of Gaza. Egypt has sealed its border with the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group Hamas took over the territory last year. Continue >>
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agnostic could not even tell whether if a thing is right or wrong without taking a vote -even then its perhaps or maybe. you are lost and then get lost
scitsonga, i would not waste my time on you anti semite agnostic
aritonang "Where do you get that Jehova and Allah are the same?
Where? Well I suppose it would be simple logic: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic Abrahamic religions. Do the math.
It’s rather entertaining to watch Christians squirm over the notion that their God and the God of Muslims is one in the same. Christians don't seem to want the accept this. It's sorta like the Northerners and Southerners during the US Civil War asking their God to help their side win. They were praying to the same God.
I also see that you are still misquoting and misrepresenting me with respect to the terrorism reference. Isn't a sin in your religion to bear false witness against others? Please stop sinning....LOL
scitsonga,
please do a lot of reading before writing comments such as these. Where do you get that Jehova and Allah are the same? Laughable.
Just like your logic that 8 Jerusalem yeshiva boys murder by the East Jerusalem terorrist is similar to 1930s bombing of a hotel used as temporary military HQ.
And your logic that the Iraqi Chaldean Catholics are US army recon teams in Iraq and the murder of their leader by terorrist, a normal military operation.
What are you drinking? Seems to make you silly.
JC, let me repeat: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic Abrahamic religions. Therefore, Allah and God are, by simple logic, one in the same. Allah is the standard Arabic name for God. In ancient, pre-Islamic Allah referred to the "moon god". Muslims today refer to their God and your God as Allah. As an agnostic I dont get caught up on the sillyness of whos religion is correct and whether one is worshipping the correct deity. However, from what I can tell, and you seem to reinforce my impression on this, Christians dont like the idea that they worship the same God as Muslims. However, if both believe in only one God, then it would be one in the same.
"You would do well, dear one, to know the difference. For there will come a time when one will have to choose between the two. If one chooses poorly, one could end up in a place where one really does not want to be."
Yeah right, whatever you say, the old threat of the eternal torture treatment. And you can drop the "dear one" it sounds condescending.
We can see that hiding for so long under the rock has done considerable damage to our friend Ayman way of thinking. Ayman, if you can read this. We urge you to embrace Christianity.
To Scitsonga:
Dear one, you really should do your homework before commenting just to ignite a fire.
Christianity, from the Islamic point of view, is not a monotheistic religion. They actually think that we worship Mary, Jesus, and God. (I didn't make this up, look it up for yourself).
Also, dear one, you may want to brush up on your Arabic. The word Allah is a proper name given to a moon god in the early B.C. Mohammed just borrowed this name from an existing arsenal of names, as he had 365 to choose from. The name he chose, was the name of the "most powerful god" in the entire arsenal. It was not by accident that he chose this name.
The literal translation for the name God is not Allah, but Al-Iliac. This is the word, when properly translated, that is translated into the English "God".
You would do well, dear one, to know the difference. For there will come a time when one will have to choose between the two. If one chooses poorly, one could end up in a place where one really does not want to be.
I encourage you to do further research on this, your very freedoms could hang in the balance.
JC, FYI- Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic Abrahamic religions. Therefore, Allah and God are, by simple logic, one in the same. Allah is the standard Arabic name for God. Allah is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews in reference to God................
Most of this from Al-Zawahri is "blah blah blah". He's only emulating what he sees his master do. Christians should be used to this, as we get this same rhetoric from the dark one everyday.
What really gets me though is that the Associated Press still bows to these individuals. Instead of "Allah", the AP changed it to "God". Al-Zawahri would never invoke the name of God, as this is mostly a Christian/Jewish term. He would have used "Allah", as this would be more palatible for him.
The AP is either still under the impression that God and Allah are one in the same, which Christians know not to be the case, or they are deliberately doing this. For what reason, we can only assume.