'Al-Zawahri' Tape Praises Islamic Fighters

The voice on the tape has not been verified as Al-Zawahri (file) (epa) 20 January 2006 -- An Internet audio tape purportedly from Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, has praised Islamic fighters in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

The authenticity of the tape could not be immediately verified. The little-known Internet website that carried the tape said it was new but this could also not be verified.

The tape made no mention of a 13 January air strike in Pakistan that targeted al-Zawahri and apparently killed four Al-Qaida leaders. Zawahri was not believed to have been among those killed. The United States has not acknowledged publicly that it carried out the raid.

The posting came one day after Al-Jazeera television broadcast an audio tape by Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden warning of pending attacks in the United States but also offering a conditional truce. The offer was immediately rejected by Washington.

(compiled from agency reports)

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