CAIRO, Egypt, Feb. 27, 2008

Al Qaeda No. 2 Lauds Slain Commander

Terrorist Media Branch Showcases Video Message From Ayman Al-Zawahiri

  • Image from video by IntelCenter shows Al-Qaida's top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri, May 5, 2007.

    Image from video by IntelCenter shows Al-Qaida's top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri, May 5, 2007.  (AP/IntelCenter)

  • Video Top Al Qaeda Commander Killed

    One of Osama bin Laden's top men was killed by a CIA drone in the tribal areas of north Pakistan, putting at risk the region's reputation as a safe haven for al Qaeda. David Martin reports.

  • Video Al Qaeda Looks West To Recruit

    "Only On The Web": Bob Orr speaks with Philip Mudd, Deputy Director of the FBI's National Security Branch, about Western operatives sought by al Qaeda who can move easily within the U.S. and Europe.

  • Interactive Global Terror

    Major terrorist organizations, the FBI's most wanted and facts and photos from recent attacks.

(AP)  Al Qaeda's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a new video message Wednesday praising one of the terrorist organization's slain commanders in Afghanistan.

The nine minute, 59 seconds-long tape, entitled "An Elegy to the Martyred Commander Abu Laith al-Libi," was issued by al-Sahab, the organization's media branch.

The video had English subtitles and was followed by a letter addressed to al Qaeda sympathizers and Muslims in general. Its authenticity could not be immediately verified, but SITE and the IntelCenter, two U.S. groups that monitor militant messages, also reported it.

Al-Libi is believed to have been killed by a missile from a U.S. Predator drone that struck his safehouse in Pakistan in late January. He was viewed as a top al Qaeda strategist in neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistani intelligence considered him the operational commander of al Qaeda in the border region and one of the militant group's most high-profile figures after its leader, Osama bin Laden, and his deputy al-Zawahiri.

In the tape, Al-Zawahiri described Al-Libi as a "knight" of al Qaeda's holy war. He was "a mountain of Jihad and a lion," al-Zawahiri said.

The al Qaeda deputy implicitly threatened the U.S. and its allies, saying that new leaders would replace al-Libi to continue the militant group's fight. "You Americans and you the agents of the Americans: (al-Libi and others) are the pioneers of the march and the good omen of a new dawn," he said.

Quote

Every time a martyr falls, another martyr grabs the banner from him, and every time a chief goes down in blood, another chief completes the march after him.

Ayman al-Zawahri, al Qaeda deputy chief
"Every time a martyr falls, another martyr grabs the banner from him, and every time a chief goes down in blood, another chief completes the march after him," al Qaeda's deputy chief said.

Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor, also lashed out at his former allies of the Islamic Jihad in Egypt who have recently called for revising the group's radical ideology. He described the group's leaders, currently held in Egyptian jails, as "hypocrites and followers of despots" for softening their stance.

The video released Wednesday was posted on a web site that usually releases al Qaeda messages. The web site also displayed a banner advertising an upcoming "interview" of al-Zawahiri by al-Sahab, with a picture of him in a white traditional Arab robe and black turban, seated before a bookshelf. Such advertisements are usually posted up to 72 hours before the message is released.

Al-Zawahiri is believed to play a large role in directing al Qaeda's strategy on the ground and issues frequent videos and audiotapes, often laying out the network's doctrinal line. He issued 15 video and audio messages in 2007, and is seen by many counterterrorism experts to be al Qaeda's operational chief, rather than bin Laden.

The message released Wednesday was the first tape or video issued by al-Zawahiri this year. It followed a tape issued on Feb. 6 by Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed, the self-proclaimed leader of the terror network's Afghanistan branch.

In the 12-minute video, Abu al-Yazeed said the death of al-Libi and other al Qaeda commanders only strengthened the group's resolve against "infidels."

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 50 Comments
by prinzowhales March 1, 2008 6:36 PM EST
Which al-Zawahiri?--The SITE employee pictured above or his cousin who is a ranking leader of special forces of our allies--the drug dealing KLA terror organization, whose rule we made possible in Kosovo?

"Ana raicha al Qaeda." In Arabic, this means, "I''m going to the toilet." Do you think dose bad ole tewwowists named their little gang after a sh*tpot?

"al Qaida" was also the name given to the data base of all the mujahideen fighting for the CIA.

Its little wonder that the US-backed al Qaida appeared in Iraq only when the Americans had cleared a path for them.
Reply to this comment
by albinm February 28, 2008 11:36 PM EST
have al-Zawarhri bring it on, after we eliminate him we can stuff him full of pork and send him off to his promised land.
Reply to this comment
by twocanpete February 28, 2008 1:48 PM EST
http://twocanpete.blogspot.com
We have replace one bunch of homicidal maniacs for another at great cost to this country. Follow the money!
Reply to this comment
by poopusbuttus February 28, 2008 7:03 AM EST
It''''s no wonder we''''re losing this fight people. It''''s small minded fascist like this poor man who can''''t get the message. We were PROMISED by that lower than life LYING piece of Garbage, George Bush, that he would go after these people and not stop until they are brought to justice. So what do we have AFTER 6 years? Well we''''re arguing about Al Queda in Iraq!! What Al Queda in Iraq? Well the group that opposed the invasion of Iraq by the US, it allied itself with the Al Queda that attacked us, the Al Queda that Bush and McCain PROMISED they would not rest until they were brought to justice. The Al Queda that is NOW in a safe haven created by George Bush and John McCain. You fools had better wake up because there is little doubt that John McCain is going to kill even MORE of our troops and it''''s a promise that Al Queda in Pakistan will STILL be there when were dead broke... pretty good bet there will still be a civil war in Iraq as well. Just how much failure do we accept?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by MCVet


Spoken like a true dummy. Al-Qada safe? Well, perhaps you ought to get a "seance" together, see if you can get in touch with the dead, and ask Al-libi if he thought he was safe....
Reply to this comment
by mrconservatv February 28, 2008 4:54 AM EST
%u201CIt had all the earmarks of a CIA operation; the bomb killed everybody in the room except the intended target!%u201D
William F. Buckley, Jr. quote




Sounds like 9/11
Reply to this comment
by mrconservatv February 28, 2008 4:52 AM EST

May 1, 2003

President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended
Remarks by the President from the USS Abraham Lincoln
At Sea Off the Coast of San Diego, California



Bush Works To Rally Support for Iraq ''Surge'' - washingtonpost.comJan 9, 2007 ... President Bush yesterday began promoting his plan to send more troops to Iraq placing troop levels around 132,000




Pentagon expects ''post-surge'' troop levels in Iraq to be 140,000
The Associated PressPublished: February 26, 2008

Now back to the war on terror
Reply to this comment
by endofempire February 28, 2008 4:24 AM EST
I guess the socialist-Americans (I''m trying to be PC)would say something along the lines of: This is another example of neocon propaganda... This guy isn''t real and if we drop our guard nothing will happen. Just like the attack on the twin towers didn''t happen and we didn''t land on the moon. I guess Foxworthy is right... Even leftists can be rednecks!
Reply to this comment
by yongamerica February 28, 2008 2:20 AM EST
Anyone with a 3rd grade education knows from the latest anonymous e-mails circulating around that Obama is an al Qaeda operative and a devout jihadist. - ontheleft

I can''t say how many people have had to hold their gut from laughter after reading your post. You write for Saturday Night Live, is this right?
Reply to this comment
by soldierboy37 February 28, 2008 2:20 AM EST
Zawahri, Why don''t you do everyone a favor and go find a rat to gnaw that thing off your forehead you freak!
Reply to this comment
by ontheleft February 28, 2008 1:50 AM EST
''Image from video by IntelCenter shows Al-Qaida''s top lieutenant to Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri''

Anyone with a 3rd grade education knows from the latest anonymous e-mails circulating around that Obama is an al Qaeda operative and a devout jihadist.

So it''s only fitting that he chooses this old guy with the turban as his running mate. It should be an interesting ticket going up against McCain. Obama-Zawahri for president of the United States of Al Qaeda. Praise be to Allah! Yippee!
Reply to this comment
by donbl1 February 28, 2008 1:24 AM EST
Well, it looks like we Americans are looking for OBL and the bunch if we knocked off a key lieutenant by Predator while he was in "Pakistan". Looks like Pakistan is now open season.
Reply to this comment
by fstop100 February 27, 2008 11:56 PM EST
why look for an old friend?
Reply to this comment
by mrconservatv February 27, 2008 11:53 PM EST
Osama is dead! Ms. Bhutto announced it on international tv, and now that she''''s let the cat out of the bag, she''''s dead! Quite a coincidence, huh?

No more boggieman Osama!



Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 08:49 PM : Feb 27, 2008


Wasn''t that just the neatest coincidence reminds of


9/11 Security Courtesy of Marvin Bush
Marvin Bush was a principal in a company which provided security for the World Trade Center, United Airlines, and Dulles International Airport.www.whatreallyhappened.com/911security.html - 14k - Cached - Similar pages


Who are these conspiracy theorists anyway? ROLLING MY EYES
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 February 27, 2008 11:49 PM EST
When are we going to get this guy??

Posted by guadalcanal3 at 08:41 PM : Feb 27, 2008




You''ve got to look for ''em, before you can find ''em.
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 February 27, 2008 11:49 PM EST
When are we going to get this guy??


Posted by guadalcanal3 at 08:41 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Before or after USAMA BIN DEAD is identified



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mrconservatv at 08:43 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Osama is dead! Ms. Bhutto announced it on international tv, and now that she''s let the cat out of the bag, she''s dead! Quite a coincidence, huh?

No more boggieman Osama!
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 February 27, 2008 11:47 PM EST
Gets out, goes on to productive member to society even becoming a senator and a presidential candidate.

Posted by jwind11 at 07:49 PM : Feb 27, 2008





Make up your mind.

Is he a productive member of society or is he a senator and a presidential candidate?
Reply to this comment
by rowdytexan2 February 27, 2008 11:46 PM EST
John McCain vietnam vet, years in POW camp. Gets out, goes on to productive member to society even becoming a senator and a presidential candidate. McVet, vietnam vet, says lost a foot in war, goes on to become a victim, offers absolutely nothing to society but hate and anger.

Posted by jwind11 at 08:24 PM : Feb 27, 2008


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by jwind11 at 08:28 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Yeah, J-Whitman is not promoting that John McCain be allowed to make cannon fodder out of military volunteers for a cause that first of all was an illegal pre-emptive war on another country for it''s oil, and second is a totally failed initiative!

Mr. McCain has become a liar for the benefit of the Neocon regime and deserves to be spit on!
Reply to this comment
by mrconservatv February 27, 2008 11:43 PM EST
When are we going to get this guy??


Posted by guadalcanal3 at 08:41 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Before or after USAMA BIN DEAD is identified
Reply to this comment
by guadalcanal3 February 27, 2008 11:41 PM EST
When are we going to get this guy??
Reply to this comment
by mrconservatv February 27, 2008 11:36 PM EST
Terrorism is as old as civilization itself and many political movements have been forced to resort to it in varying degrees, especially in their early stages of struggle. Powerful, established political powers regularly resort to state terrorism, known euphemistically as war conducted by overwhelming force applied with shock and awe - in other words, terror. Thus the "war on terror" is in fact fought with state terror. Even the most heinous war is always rationalized with high moral justification.

In its most current manifestation, the "war on terrorism" today is a religious war between a faith-based Christian nation and Islamic extremists, both groups controlled by fundamentalists, not unlike the struggle between the Roman Catholic Church and emerging Protestant movements during the Thirty Years'' War. It is an unevenly matched conflict between a powerful state military machine and clandestine cells engaged in asymmetrical warfare reminiscent of the early phases of the Thirty Years'' War. It is an unbalanced game between an organized system with visible and open targets everywhere and a vast network of disjointed cells that are impossible to find until after they surface with an attack. The same was true with the Holy Roman Empire in its effort to rein in the Protestant German princes and their religious zealot advisers during the Thirty Years'' War.


http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GD14Aa01.html
Reply to this comment
See all 50 Comments

60 Minutes

The secrets of tennis legend Andre Agassi; the growing threat of cyber wars; and more.
Read More

Latest News
News in Pictures
Scroll Left Scroll Right
  • The Fall Of The Berlin Wall The Fall Of The Berlin Wall

    Looking Back at the Wall that Once Divided Germany On the 20th Anniversary of Its Collapse

  • Patricia Clarkson Patricia Clarkson

    Television and Film Actress, Yale School of Drama Graduate and Academy Award Nominee

  • Day in Pictures Day in Pictures

    A Glimpse at the Day's News as Seen Through a Camera Lens

  • Andre Agassi Andre Agassi

    Former Top-Seeded Tennis Star, Gossip Column Favorite and Philanthropist

  • Yankees Victory Parade Yankees Victory Parade

    The Yankees Celebrate Their 27th World Series Championship with a Ticker-Tape Parade Up Broadway

  • Orlando Office Shooting Orlando Office Shooting

    A Gunman Opens Fire at the Offices of an Engineering Firm Where He Once Worked

Connect with CBS News

Stay connected with the CBS News using your favorite social networks and online news applications: