Al-Qaeda sympathizers have unleashed a torrent of anger against al-Jazeera television, accusing it of misrepresenting Osama bin Laden's latest audiotape by airing excerpts in which he criticizes mistakes by insurgents in Iraq.
Users of a leading Islamic militant Web forum posted thousands of insults against the pan-Arab station for focusing on excerpts in which bin Laden criticizes insurgents, including his followers.
Analysts said the reaction highlighted militants' surprise at bin Laden's words, and their dismay at the deep divisions among al-Qaeda and other Iraqi militants that he appeared to be trying to heal.
"It's not about al-Jazeera, it's about their shock from bin Laden," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian expert on Islamic militant groups. "For the first time, bin Laden, who used to be the spiritual leader who gives guidance, became a critic of al-Qaeda and is confessing mistakes. This is unusual."
"God fight al-Jazeera," railed one militant Web poster, calling the station a "collaborator with the crusaders" for suggesting the tape showed weakness in al-Qaeda and featuring discussions of how the tape reflected weaknesses and divisions among insurgents in Iraq.
The recording aired on Monday contained unusually strong criticism of insurgents in Iraq from bin Laden, who urges them to admit mistakes and unify.
Bin Laden even acknowledges that he advises himself not to be "fanatical" in his stances.
"Some of you have been lax in one duty, which is to unite your ranks," bin Laden said. "Beware of division ... Muslims are waiting for you to gather under a single banner to champion righteousness. Be keen to oblige with this duty."
"I advise myself, Muslims in general and brothers in al-Qaeda everywhere to avoid extremism among men and groups," he said.
The tape was met with a cautiously positive response from at least one insurgent coalition that has been opposed to al-Qaeda.
But the al-Fajr Media Center, which usually posts al-Qaeda video and audio tapes on the Web, accused al-Jazeera of "counterfeiting the facts" by making the speech appear as exclusively critical of insurgents.
"Al-Jazeera directors have shamefully chosen to back the crusaders' side, and the defenders of hypocrites and the thugs and traitors of Iraq," al-Fajr said in a statement posted on several Islamic Web sites.
Another Web contributor even rattled off a five-stanza poem of rhymed couplets, comparing the station to a "miserable fly in the garbage" and concluding: "Your day will come, vile one. As long as we live, you won't be safe, Jazeera."
Few of the thousands of messages posted by contributors on the Web sites -- who are only identified by usernames -- called for direct violence against al-Jazeera. Most instead urged that the full bin Laden tape be distributed as widely as possible on the Web to show its true message.
The full tape was posted on Islamic Web sites the day after excerpts were aired by al-Jazeera.
The editor-in-chief of the Qatar-based station, Ahmed Sheik, said that the audio tape had not been misrepresented.
"Every time, we deal with their tapes same way," he said.
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