Purported al Qaeda message: Unite with Taliban

(CNN) -- In a message released Monday, al Qaeda's No. 2 leader called on Muslims to unite under Taliban leader Mullah Omar, stop trying to form secular governments and instead follow strict Islamic Sharia law.

The message from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the top aide to al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, appeared on an Islamist Web site.

The video contained a still picture of al-Zawahiri, the audio remarks and English subtitles.

A text translation also accompanied the tape and was provided to CNN by lauramansfield.com, a Web site that analyzes terrorism.

CNN could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the videotape.

Al-Zawahiri pledged allegiance to Mullah Omar and called on all his followers to reject animosity and differences and come together under Mullah Omar's banner.

Allahpundit has much more here.

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Has Osama Died?
Ed Morrissey

Hot Air noted a new message from al-Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, which pledges allegiance to Mullah Omar and the Taliban. He urges Muslims to unite behind Omar, but makes no mention of his AQ chief Osama bin Laden, who has gone silent for a long period of time:

[...]

Arabs tend to speak in flowery language, especially regarding politics, but this pledge of Zawahiri's allegiance sounds like a man without a leader. It has been more than a year since the last tape from bin Laden, one of his longest silences since 9/11. One might have expected an Osama tape crowing about Bush's midterm setback, or about the surge strategy in Baghdad, or perhaps the failure of the previous Baghdad security strategy.

Zawahiri has been more active, sending out a message every few weeks, trying to rally what's left of his organization. Usually they include statements of loyalty to Osama and urging the faithful to rally to bin Laden, not Mullah Omar. His focus on driving followers to Omar's banner in this latest message might indicate that bin Laden has reached room temperature, or less likely, been captured.

Osama hasn't stopped making news, even if he has stopped making tapes. ...

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Latest from the Cave
Jules Crittenden

That al-Zawahiri’s a cut up. Important news flash from al-Qaeda: Bush is “an alcoholic, liar and gambler with an addictive personality.”

Ha! I know you are, but what am I?  You’re rubber, I’m glue. No wait, that’s I’m rubber, you’re glue  … What you say is what you are. He who smelt it, dealt it … no that’s a different one.  Damn.  Gotta get up early in the morning to top that guy.

ABC’s Blotter also reports Z-man cavedude not happy with his Demo Cong minions: ...