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| Al-Qaeda joins Saudi Arabia, West on Syria |
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 The terrorist network Al-Qaeda has joined Saudi Arabia and Western states in their efforts to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, in a video recording posted on the Internet on Sunday, called on Muslims in Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan to come to the aid of Syrian rebels in their campaign to topple Assad, Reuters reported.
"Wounded Syria still bleeds day after day, while the butcher, son of the butcher Bashar bin Hafiz (Hafez al-Assad), is not deterred to stop," the Egyptian-born Zawahri, wearing his white turban and seated against a green curtain, said in the eight-minute video, entitled "Onwards, Lions of Syria".
"But the resistance of our people in Syria despite all the pain, sacrifice and bloodshed escalates and grows," he added.
Zawahri took command of Al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden was apparently killed by U.S. special forces in a raid in Pakistan last May.
A Muslim should help "his brothers in Syria with all that he can, with his life, money, opinion, as well as information," Zawahri said.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of President Assad's government.
The Syrian government says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the unrest and deadly violence while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.
The Syrian government also says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country and the security forces have been given clear instructions not to harm civilians.
In addition, Syrian state TV has broadcast reports showing seized weapons caches and confessions by terrorist elements describing how they obtained arms from foreign sources.
"If we want freedom, we must be liberated from this regime. If we want justice, we must retaliate against this regime," Zawahri said.
"Continue your revolt and anger, don't accept anything else apart from independent, respectful governments," he added.
The United Nations says over 5,000 people, many of them members of the security forces, have been killed during the unrest.
On February 4, Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution against the Middle Eastern country for the second time. Moscow said the resolution, which had called on Assad to step down would have forced regime change on Syria.
On October 4, 2011, Russia and China also vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution maliciously drawn up by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal threatening military action and sanctions against Syria.
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| Last Updated on 12 February 2012 18:10 |