In a new video released yesterday, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden mourns the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, his top operative in Iraq, and demands the US return his body to his family in Jordan, CNN reported.
The 19-minute post on an Islamic Web site, consists of an audio over two images -- a still photo of bin Laden and a video of Zarqawi.
Bin Laden praised Zarqawi and vowed al-Qaeda will continue to fight US forces and their allies "everywhere" in the Internet audiotape.
"The lion of jihad ... Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ... was killed in a US raid. We hope to God he accepts him as a martyr," said the speaker, who sounded similar to previous recordings attributed to bin Laden.
Addressing US President George W. Bush, bin Laden said: "Don't be too happy, for the banner [of al-Qaeda in Iraq] hasn't dropped but has passed from one lion of Islam to another lion."
"We will continue, God willing, to fight you and your allies everywhere, in Iraq and Afghanistan and in Somalia and Sudan until we waste all your money and kill your men and you will return to your country in defeat as we defeated you before in Somalia," he said.
The authenticity of the tape posted on a Web site often used by al-Qaeda could not be immediately verified, but US intelligence officials said they were conducting tests.
"US intelligence is conducting technical analysis on the new tape, but at this point there is no reason to doubt it is real," said a US counter-terrorism official, noting that it is the fourth tape from bin Laden this year.
Bin Laden also called on US forces to release the body of Jordanian-born Zarqawi to his family and demanded Jordanian King Abdullah allow Zarqawi's family to hold a funeral in his home town. Zarqawi was killed in a US on June 7.
"You [King Abdullah] prevented Abu Musab from returning to his country alive," the voice on the recording said. "What scares you about Zarqawi after his death is that [his funeral] will be huge and will show the degree of sympathy Muslims have for the mujahidin."
Bin Laden also defended Zarqawi's killing of Iraqis.
"Abu Musab had clear instructions to focus his fighting on the occupying forces first ... but whoever fought in the trenches of the crusaders against Muslims, then regardless of his faith or his tribe it is [acceptable] that he may be killed by anyone," bin Laden said.
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