Al-Qaeda Leader Calls for More Attacks on American Soil

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a speech on the 12^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and called for more attacks on U.S. soil in order to start a “war on its own land.” He wants these attacks to hit the American economy by forcing the United States to overspend on defense.

We should bleed America economically by provoking it to continue in its massive expenditure on its security, for the weak point of America is its economy, which has already begun to stagger due to the military and security expenditure.

Al-Zawahiri was Osama bin Laden’s physician and second in command. He took over al Qaeda when bin Laden was killed in May 2011. The 72-minute speech was released and translated on the SITE Intelligence Group website. It was produced by al-Qaeda’s media as-Sahab.

“To keep up the hemorrhage in America’s security and military spending, we need to keep the Unites States on a constant state of alert about where and when the next strike will blow,” Zawahiri said. “Keeping America on its guards only requires from us scattered strikes here and there.”

He promoted “lone-wolf” attacks, called for more attacks like 9/11, and told Muslims to kidnap westerners to exchange for Muslim prisoners. He thinks Muslims should not buy American products or anything from their allies because the spending would only help fund wars in Muslim countries. Al-Zawahiri went on to praise the bombing at the Boston Marathon:

“The Boston incident confirms to the Americans … that they are not facing individuals, organizations or groups, but they are facing an uprising Ummah (Muslim community), that rose in jihad to defend its soul, dignity and capabilities,” he said.

“What the American regime refuses to admit is that al-Qaeda is a message before it was an organization.”

However, CBS News senior correspondent John Miller, who met al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan, told CBS This Morning the message shows desperation:

“He’s looking at the Boston Marathon bombing, which was a terrorist attack but rather small. He’s seen the profound effect it’s had on Boston and he wants more,” said Miller. “To me, the tacit admission is that al Qaeda does not feel it’s in the position, organizationally, to do what it used to do, which is organize and launch it themselves.”

“I think he lacks the charisma of bin Laden,” added Miller. “He’s an Egyptian pediatrician and he’s a smart guy, but his message hasn’t resonated.”

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a speech on the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and called for more attacks on U.S. soil in order to start a “war on its own land.” He wants these attacks to hit the American economy by forcing the United States to overspend on defense.

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released a speech on the 12^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and called for more attacks on U.S. soil in order to start a “war on its own land.” He wants these attacks to hit the American economy by forcing the United States to overspend on defense.