Yemen al-Qaeda leader blasts Arab states in new tape

The deputy head of al-Qaeda's Yemeni branch accused Egypt and Saudi Arabia of helping "crusaders" wage a war against the Arabian peninsula, in a tape posted to Islamist websites Monday.

Said Ali al-Shihri, also known as Abu-Sufian al-Zaidi, was released in 2007 from the US Navy's detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to his native Saudi Arabia, DPA reported.

There he graduated from a "rehabilitation" programme before fleeing the country to join militants in Yemen, where he quickly rose to become al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's second-in-command.

In the audiotape released Monday, al-Shihri accused Saudi Arabia and Egypt of "preserving the interests of Jews and Christians" by supplying them with oil and allowing them access to the waters surrounding the peninsula.

He accused Arab states of helping "crusaders" and "Jews" to "wage a war on Muslims in the Arabian peninsula."

Al-Shihri said the United States and other international powers are "indirectly waging war on several fronts" in Yemen by collecting intelligence with unmanned drones, "turning Muslims against each other ... and distorting the image of the mujahideen" militants.

The al-Qaeda leader praised Somali Islamist militants for fighting "the leader of the international infidels, America," and called on Yemeni tribes to "stand up like men," and not to cooperate with those "who conspire against Muslims."

Al-Shihri praised Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab for his failed attempt to to blow up a passenger aircraft over Detroit in December, and warned of future attacks, "even if it costs us dearly."

The Nigerian's failed attempt once again focused international attention on Yemen's years-old battle with al-Qaeda militants on its soil, after his connections with al-Qaeda militants in Yemen emerged.

Al-Shihri closed his 12-minute audio message by repeating al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's recent warning that the United States "will not dream of security until we live it in Palestine."