Cairo: Osama bin Laden's deputy is urging Tunisians and Egyptians to continue their uprisings and revolt against the interim governments set up after the ouster of their autocratic presidents.
Ayman al-Zawahri claims the United States watched the developments in Tunisia for a long time, only deciding to support president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's removal after realising his regime no longer served Washington's interests.
Al-Zawahri also says the US made intentionally vague statements on Egypt because the Obama administration wants to see if Hosni Mubarak would be able to suppress the popular uprising against his rule.
The message is al-Zawahri's third audio since the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. The 15-minute recording was posted on a militant Web site late Sunday.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, February 28, 2011, 15:28