Al-Qaida tape called for Pakistan attacks

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The deadly bombing of a Pakistan hotel came after al-Qaida released a tape exhorting followers to step up attacks in the country, ABC News reported.

No one had claimed responsibility Sunday for the blast at the Islamabad Marriott Hotel, which killed at least 57 and injured up to 230 more Saturday. But in a 90-minute tape produced by al-Qaida to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a group leader calls for Pakistani targets to be hit, the network reported.

On the tape, senior al-Qaida leader Mustafa Abu Yazidd tells watchers: "And we tell the jealous people of mujahedin of Pakistan that in order for the jihad in Afghanistan to continue and be victorious, you must stand with your brothers the mujahedin in Afghanistan to fight the puppet regime of Pakistan and its aggressive and tyrannical army and strike the interest of the crusader allies in Pakistan."

ABC News said Yazzid claimed responsibility for an attack this year on the Danish embassy in Islamabad, which was said to be retaliation for the publication of cartoons in Denmark that Yazzid said mocked the Prophet Mohammed.