Al Qaida tape attacks 'US crusade on Islam'

A sound tape attributed to al Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri and broadcast on Al-Jazeera satellite television today alleged an American “crusade” targeting Islam and Muslims.

“The crusade camp that is led by America ... is targeting Islam and Muslims, even if it claims that it is fighting terrorism. ... This campaign is seeking to abolish Islam as a doctrine and a law,” the voice said.

The tape appeared to be recent, as the speaker referred to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s visit to India earlier this month and the September 6 resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

The voice, identified as that of al-Zawahri, urged Muslims to ”resist this Jewish crusade that is seeking to abolish Islam and Muslims.”

Al-Jazeera spokesman Jihad Ballout said the station received a telephone call from an unknown person saying they had a recording “that is of concern to you” and suggested the station tape the rest of the phone call. Ballout would not say when the call was received.

He said the station would broadcast only edited portions of the tape.

Al-Jazeera said it would later broadcast more excerpts of the recording, which was of poor quality but which sounded like al-Zawahri’s voice.

“I thus call for jihad (holy war) against this campaign that seeks to end Islam as a doctrine and law and turn us into a herd that follows the world of Washington, Tel Aviv and London,” the speaker said.

He also referred to a United States Congressional report on the September 11 terror attacks. Parts of the report that were kept secret reportedly examined Saudi connections to al Qaida.

“The report that Congress wrote about the incidents of September 11 adopted a call to end the Saudi government and rewrite the holy Quran claiming that it contains verses that call for hating Jews and Christians,” the speaker said. “To this extent they have become arrogant and criminal.”

He also criticised Israelis as arrogant, and called Sharon ”the killer of Muslims and desecrator of the sanctity of al-Aqsa mosque.”

“His visit to India and the deals that he made with India ... such idiocy,” the voice said.