Al-Qaeda's reputed second in command has called on Muslims to step up their resistance in a video aired by CNNearly today on the fifth anniversary of the September 1th attacks.
"You gave us every legitimacy and every opportunity to continue fighting you," Ayman al-Zawahri said, addressing the United States in the video aired by CNN, which appeared to be new.
"You should worry about your presence in the [Persian] Gulf and the second place you should worry about is Israel."
The bespectacled Al-Zawahri was dressed in white and seated in front of a wall of bookshelves.
"Your leaders are hiding from you the true extent of the disaster," he said. "And the days are pregnant and giving birth to new events, with Allah's permission and guidance."
It was unclear where CNNgot the video. The network quoted a counterterrorism expert as saying the video had appeared on the website for As-Sahab, but the production company normally uses other Islamic websites to post its material.
In it, al-Zawahri refers to Israel's bombardment of Lebanon this summer and the capture of Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah and militants in Gaza.