Call to replace leader of al-Qaida in Iraq

A man claiming to be an Iraqi Islamic insurgent has released a video tape urging Osama bin Laden to replace the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq with an Iraqi national.

The man, who claimed to be Abu Osama al-Iraqi, said in the 17-minute video tape that there were “deviations” by al-Qaida in Iraq under its new leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

“The group (al-Qaida) in Iraq has deviated ... from your call,” said al-Iraqi, whose image was blurred and his voice deformed to cover his identity. The tape was released on a website commonly used by insurgent groups. The authenticity of the video tape and the man’s identity could not immediately be verified.