U.S.

Reactions to Al Zawahri's New Audio Tape Amongst Supporters

By CBS Investigates

April 22, 2008 / 12:23 PM EDT / CBS News

(CBS / al Jazeera)

Internet forums supportive of al Qaeda and the Iraqi insurgency are filled with reactions to Ayman al Zawahri's new audio tape. Most comments praised al Zawahri, while some discussed specific issues he touched on. "Your words carry great energy…it's one of those moments where power is revived in your veins and then you feel like you can really do the impossible," wrote one female supporter who describes in length how she was affected by his statement. Al Zawahri addressed the issue of the participation of women in jihad in his statement, indicating there were no women in al Qaeda's ranks, adding that their participation comes through raising children and enduring hardships. The supporter, who uses the name "Muslim forever" does not comment on this part.

She also describes how her four-year-old brother listened to the statement with her. She writes that at the end of it, he covered his face, brought a toy walkie-talkie and shouted "We're asking for your sign to start carrying out the operation." Another supporter responds to the post by praising her for teaching him to love jihad that early on.

There were also several posts about the Kuwaiti Jihadi-Salafi cleric Hamed al Ali, who was praised by al Zawahri in Monday's statement. "To Sheikh Hamed al Ali, we love you, appreciate you and respect you as Sheikh Ayman Al Zawahri asked us to do," said one post. Al Ali had published a document about unifying jihadi groups.