Al Qaeda tape urges boycotts over cartoons

A new video has been broadcast by the Arabic television channel, Al-Jazeera, showing Al Qaeda's deputy leader speaking at an undisclosed location.

In the broadcast, Ayman al-Zawahiri says offences against the Prophet Mohammed were part of a crusader campaign led by the United States.

He urges Muslims to boycott Denmark, Norway, France, Germany and others that have "insulted the Prophet Mohammed" by printing cartoons depicting him.

"We consider the publication of the caricatures to be part of a crusade against Muslims led by the United States," he said.

The cartoons, which are considered blasphemous by most Muslims, were first printed in a Danish newspaper last year and have since been reprinted in many European countries, triggering riots in many Muslim countries that left at least 40 people dead.

He also urges the radical movement, Hamas, not to accept peace agreements between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

"Reaching power is not a goal by itself, and no Palestinian has the right to give away a grain of the soil," said the leader on a video aired by Al Jazeera television.

"The seculars in the Palestinian Authority have sold out Palestine for crumbs - giving them legitimacy is against Islam."

The audio track of the video aired partially by the satellite news television was posted on the internet earlier.

- REUTERS