Yemeni cleric: Uprisings 'open door for al-Qaida'

A radical Yemeni cleric says upheavals gripping the Arab world are an opportunity for al-Qaida fighters to see more Mideast regimes crumble, including in Libya.

US-born Anwar al-Awlaki says the turmoil “opens the door for mujahedeen from all over the world” and claims it shows America has lost its allies in the region.

The cleric, believed to be hiding in largely lawless Yemen, says al-Qaida’s holy warriors are “going through a moment of elation” since the revolts that started in Tunisia and Egypt, and spread to Yemen, Bahrain and Syria as massive anti-government protests.

Al-Awlaki’s remarks were published in al-Qaida’s online magazine Inspire posted on militant websites.

The al-Qaida-linked cleric is believed to have offered inspiration to attacks in the United States.