Al-Qaida 'still targeting Western countries'

Osama bin Laden’s chief deputy warned today that the terror group still has plans to target Western countries which have been involved in the Iraq war.

The comments by al-Qaida No 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahri came in a lengthy audiotape posted on an Islamic website.

In the tape, al-Zawahri answers questions posted online last winter by al-Qaida followers.

When asked by one follower if the terror group still has plans to attack Western countries which participated in the Iraq war, al-Zawahri said: “My answer is: Yes!”

Asked if there are any women in al-Qaida, the terror leader answered simply: “No.”