Sep. 11, 2006 13:03 | Updated Sep. 11, 2006 15:41
Al-Zawahri threatens Israel in new tape
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAIRO

Al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri hinted that Israel may be the target of future attacks by the group, in a video aired by CNN early Monday on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. It was the latest in a flurry of al-Qaeda videos released ahead of the anniversary.

In the video, al-Zawahri refers to Israel's bombardment of Lebanon this summer and the capture of Israeli soldiers by Hizbullah and Hamas.

"You gave us every legitimacy and every opportunity to continue fighting you," al-Zawahri says, addressing the US in the video, 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."