CAIRO, Egypt – In a tape that surfaced Sunday, Osama bin Laden’s deputy urged all Muslims to take up arms, saying a refusal to join the fight against “the cross and Zionism” was a “malignant illness” that would lead to the defeat of militant Islam.
Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahri said the global Islamic community had “no hope for victory” until all Muslims signed on to the al-Qaida-led jihad.
“As long as this malignant illness continues to survive within us, there is no hope for victory and there can only be more defeats, tragedies, disasters and betrayals,” al-Zawahri said.
His comments were contained in a 48-minute tape titled “Impediments to Jihad.” The video portion of the tape was a still photo of a white-turbaned al-Zawahri with English subtitles running under it. The audio appeared to be his voice speaking Arabic.
The tape was believed to have been made at about the same time as a Sept. 19 video attributed to al-Zawahri, according to Ben Venzke, chief executive of Intelcenter, a U.S. government contractor that obtained the tape.
It was impossible to immediately verify the authenticity of the tape.
The latest tape also was a rallying call to Muslims to attack Western interests everywhere to help stave off the “defeat” of Islamic extremists.
Al-Zawahri specifically cited as examples of militant activities the Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip, insurgent warfare against U.S. troops in Iraq and the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“The key to victory is in our hands, and in turn, the primary cause of defeat is in ourselves,” it said.
Al-Zawahri and bin Laden are believed to be hiding in the mountains along the Pakistani-Afghanistan border. Pakistani troops are cooperating with the United States in the search for the pair.
Associated Press
This video image shows al-Qaida’s No. 2 man, Ayman al-Zawahri, praising Taliban success in Afghanistan against U.S.-led forces.
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