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Al-Qaida leader calls for holy war against Western interests

2010-02-09 10:17 BJT

SANAA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula called on Yemeni tribes on Monday to stage jihad, or holy war, against the Western interest and the Yemeni government to revenge recent air raids against their hideouts.

In an audiotape posted on the Internet on Monday, Said Ali al- Shihri said Yemeni tribes have been hit by air strikes of the West "in collaboration with its local agents in the Yemeni government."

"Stand by your Mujahedeen (freedom-fighters) sons and make preparation for waging a long jihad"against the Western interests and its agents in the Yemeni government, he said.

Saudi-born al-Shihri, a former Guantanamo detainee, also said that he addressed a letter to the headquarters in Afghanistan under Osama bin Laden's leadership.

Referring to the Christmas Day abortive attempt by Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a Detroit-bound flight, he said "we congratulate you and congratulate the Muslim nation on this blessed invasion by the hero Mujahid (freedom-fighter) brother Umar Farouk."

"And we are going ahead, God willing, to achieve what you have ordered us even if it costs us much to win the two goals that God promises us,victory or martyrdom."

The authenticity of the 12-minute audio recording could not be verified.

On Jan. 25, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the failed Christmas Day attempt to explode the Detroit-bound flight in an audiotape broadcast on the pan-Arab al- Jazeera satellite TV channel.

Yemen, facing armed rebellion in the north and growing separatist movement in the south, has launched security and military campaigns, including air raids against al-Qaida militants in provinces of Abyan, Shabwa, Marib and al-Ajashir district of al- Jouf province.

Last month, Yemen's Interior Ministry confirmed the death of six senior leaders of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

A close source to al-Qaida offshoot in the Arabian Peninsula told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the Christmas Day attempt by Umar Farouk was prepared in Yemen "in direct coordination with the al-Qaida's supreme leadership in Afghanistan presided by Sheikh Osama bin Laden."

Editor: Du Xiaodan | Source: Xinhua