Perhaps trying to stay relevant and feared after eighteen years in hiding following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, 68-year old Egyptian cleric and al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri has released a new video message urging his followers to attack the US, Europe, Russia and Israel.
Multiple jihad monitoring and analysis sites, including SITE Intelligence Group, reported Wednesday the new video was released as al-Qaeda's own "positive" commemoration of the 9/11 anniversary wherein the terror leader touted and celebrated "severe blows dealt to America".
Zawahri, who alongside ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi remains one of the two most wanted terrorists in the world, and has a bounty of up to $25 million offered by US authorities for information leading to his capture.
The al-Qaeda chief, who took up the mantle of the group's leadership after the 2011 death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, further condemned 'backsliding' and 'backtracker' jihadists who had softened in their stance on jihad.
He also addressed and decried supposed statements by some jihadists voicing regret for all the civilians killed on 9/11, saying they should keep up the fight against the "crusaders".
The video message entitled, "And They Shall Continue to Fight You," also details how the terror group hopes to first use attacks on Israel as a launchpad for further offensive operations against American, French, British, and other western allies.
He also repeated the usual jihadist line that the US military was still waging "a global crusader campaign against Muslims everywhere" and further that America only "understands the language of force."
The video was released just as President Trump spoke at the Pentagon to commemorate 9/11 victims.
"If anyone dares to strike our land, we will respond with the full measure of American power and the iron will of the American spirit and that spirit is unbreakable," President Trump said.
Interestingly, the only place on the planet where al-Qaeda actually has a sizable presence and influence is Idlib province in northwest Syria, where in 2015 the US and its allies actually helped al-Qaeda aligned groups capture Idlib cityas part of regime change efforts targeting Syria's Assad.
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