Die Welt

Al-Qaeda’s number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has called on Muslims the world over to support the radical Islamic organisation Hamas with arms, money and assassinations against US and Israeli targets. The call was made in an audio message posted on the Internet.

He explicitly called for support for arms to be smuggled to the Palestinians from neighbouring states and for Hamas to be given support in the assault on the "interests of the Crusaders and Zionists wherever possible."

He said Hamas should join al-Qaeda’s "holy war" and introduce sharia law in the Gaza Strip. "The seizure of power is not an end in itself, but a means of implementing God’s word on earth."

All "Mujahedeen" in the world must unite against the "impending attack" in which "Egyptians and Saudis" are to participate. He indicated that Egypt and Saudi Arabia could infiltrate among the Palestinians and attack Hamas.

Al-Zawahiri is the deputy of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The authenticity of the tape has not yet been independently confirmed. Clear support for Hamas would mean a change of strategy for al-Qaeda. Previously, the terror network had repeatedly criticised Hamas for participating in the Palestinian government with the more moderate Fatah.