Al-Qaida leader urges Muslims to 'strike'

WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) -- Statements allegedly made by al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri encourage Muslims to "strike" Western interests to support Palestinians in Gaza.

"Let us strike their interests everywhere, just as they gathered against us from everywhere, and let them know that every dollar they spend on the killing of Muslims, there will be shed blood instead in return," the voice on the almost 5-minute statement says.

The statement was made available on extremist Islamist Web sites late Sunday and didn't say when it was recorded, CNN reported. The voice is purported that of Zawahiri, who is considered al-Qaida's second in commqnd to Osama bin Laden

It calls on Muslims to act instead of participating in demonstrations to back Palestinians.

"If you let the people of Gaza be killed today, while you shout and demonstrate, tomorrow the events will turn around and the Crusaders and the Jews will kill you instead, and others will do nothing but shout back and demonstrate," the voice on the tape says.