Al-Zawahri refutes Bush's allegations to eliminate al- Qaida

The second man in al-Qaida organization Ayman al-Zawahri in al-Qaida organization threatened to launch new attacks against the USA. He said that Bush has to reinforce his defense means and security measures in preparation for new attacks.

In a sound tape broadcast by al-Jazeera TV, al-Zawahri said that al-Jihad is still advocating the banners of Islam in confrontation of what he called the "Zionist- Crusader campaign against Muslims," as he alleged.

It seems the tape was registered recently in remark to al-Zawahri comments at the beginning of his statement on the state of the union speech delivered by President Bush on January 20th.

He played down what he had described the American allegations on its desire to disseminate freedom and security in the world. He denied that the American forces had eliminated two thirds of al-Qaida organization, threatening the US to make new attacks at the hands of what he called the groups of death ( Saraya al-Mout).

He said that al-Qaida organization is expanding and growing, recalling the experience of the Russians and the British in Afghanistan.

Al-Zawahri strongly criticized the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein but without mentioning him by name saying that Iraq has moved from the hegemony of a secular tyrant ruler that stand against Islam to an occupation fighting Islam.

In the recording al-Zawahri also criticized what he described as America's hirelings of the Arab leaders, saying that Egypt has harassed the Islamic organizations which stand against Israel and pressured the Palestinians for the sake of Israel and dismantled its weapons from Sinai.

Al-Zawahri also dedicated part of his speech to criticize Saudi Arabia, noting that its rulers consider the country and the people as merely a property to them and to justify that they campaign for a religion that calls for obedience and at the same time supports the Jews.

He also accused the Pakistani President B. Musharraf of helping Washington to kill scores of thousands and destroying of Afghanistan.