Al-Qaeda
leader Osama bin Laden called for jihad over the Israeli offensive
in Gaza in a new audio tape that appeared on Islamist websites on Wednesday.
He also condemned Arab governments for preventing their people from acting to "liberate Palestine".
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In internet message, al-Qaeda's second-in-command calls on Muslims to 'hit the interests of the Zionists and crusaders wherever and in whichever way you can' in response to Israeli operation in Gaza |
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"God has bestowed us with the patience to continue the path of jihad for another seven years, and seven and seven years," bin Laden said in the tape that was dated in the current Islamic month.
The tape was entitled "A Call for Jihad to Stop the Aggression against Gaza".
"The question is, can America continue its war with us for several more decades to come? Reports and evidence would suggest otherwise," he said.
The authenticity of the tape cannot be independently confirmed. But the voice resembles that of bin Laden in previous messages.
The Palestinian death toll from the 19-day-old Israeli offensive against the Islamist Hamas movement in Gaza has risen to 971. Thirteen Israelis have been killed.
The Saudi-born terrorist said the global financial crisis had exposed the waning influence of the United States in world affairs and would in turn weaken its ally Israel.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report
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