Zawahiri... Second in command of al-Qaeda, occasionally described as
the real brainsof the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's
fatwaentitled
World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders.Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
, has renewed his allegiance to the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, in a video posted Wednesday by the American intelligence group SITE.
"We renew our allegiance to the emir of the believers, Mullah Omar, we pledge our commitment to continue the jihad and the establishment of sharia" in the Mohammedan world, said the new strong man of Al-Qaeda.
Zawahiri speaking in a eulogy of the founder of Al Qaeda, the late Osama bin Laden
... who used to be alive but now he's not...
, killed by U.S. commandos on May 2 in Pakistain. Bin Laden had sworn allegiance to Mullah Omar.
This renewal of allegiance to Mullah Omar comes as the Afghan government has asked the Security Council of the UN, which must make a decision in mid-June to lift sanctions imposed on about fifty Taliban leaders.
The Committee's list of sanctions against Al Qaeda and the Taliban are currently 486 people, including 138 linked to the Taliban, who are banned travel and whose assets are frozen.