A statement purporting to be from al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has called on Muslims to harm "criminal" America. The first video from the Islamic militant network since the US presidential elections ran more than eleven minutes and was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant web sites.
The toD verdict: According to Lawrence Wright, the author of The Looming Tower, the eventual outcome of the election wrong-footed al-Qaeda, which had been expecting a McCain victory. Arguably, the success of Barack Obama, a black man who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia and whose father was from a Muslim family has re-energised the crucial battle for "hearts and minds" in the war on terror. Just two months ago a BBC poll found the United States losing this propaganda war. Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.
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Consequently, experts have concluded that this latest message is a desperate PR effort by al-Qaeda. Its aim is to undercut Muslim enthusiasm for Obama and reconstruct a clear enemy after the muddying of al-Qaeda's Manichean message. In the message, Zawahri said that although America had a "new face", it masked a "heart full of hate." Resorting to racial slurs, Zawahari sought to challenge the assumption that Obama would herald change in US foreign policy, calling the president-elect a "house slave" who would do the bidding of his white masters and continue the policies of George Bush.
Criticising Obama's plans for further troop deployments in Afghanistan, the message claimed that America "continues to be the same as ever, so we must continue to harm it, in order for it to come to its senses." However Zawahiri issued no specific threats and US officials made clear that there was no indication of a heightened threat against the US.
Cheney, Gonzales indicted in South Texas county
Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have been indicted by a grand jury in Willacy County on Tuesday. Both are charged with blocking an investigation into the mistreatment of prisoners. Cheney is accused of having a financial stake in prison-related businesses, including the Vanguard Group, which has an interest in privately-run federal jails in the region. As such he is accused of "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty". The indictment accuses Gonzales of using his position while in office to stop an investigation in 2006 into abuses at one of the privately-run prisons. Willacy County, a hub for prisons at county, state and federal levels, has witnessed a number of eccentric court battles, most launched by Juan Guerra, the local district attorney. Critics accuse Guerra of trying to settle old scores in his final weeks in office. He insisted however that the decision to bring charges was made by the grand jury.
Anti-war groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish cabinet
In other news concerning the US president-elect, antiwar groups have expressed concern over Obama's national security team. They note that most of the candidates for top security posts in the new administration voted for the 2002 resolution authorising President Bush to invade Iraq, or otherwise supported launching the war. Unease has centred on widespread reports that that Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates could be in the Obama cabinet. According to Sam Husseini of the Institute for Public Accuracy, "It's astonishing that not one of the 23 senators or 133 House members who voted against the war is in the mix".
Fatal blast hits Bangkok protest
A fatal bomb blast in Bangkok on Thursday has killed at least one and wounded 22 others. No group has claimed responsibility. The blast ripped through a group of anti-government demonstrators camped inside the city's Government House compound. The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has occupied the area since late August. They demand the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government claiming it is a proxy of ousted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. The largely peaceful protests erupted into violent clashes on 7 October; two people were left dead and nearly 500 injured when police fired tear gas at demonstrators trying to block parliament. Since then a small number of blasts have targeted the PAD protesters. Analysts suggest the latest explosion heralds the start of more aggressive efforts to disperse the camp which could spark an upsurge in political violence.
Britain establishes intelligence links with Syria
High-level intelligence links between Syria and Britain have been re-established according to The Times newspaper on Wednesday. Aimed at combating terrorism, preparatory meetings had been secretly conducted for months. The move was a key objective of UK Foreign Secretary David Milliband's historic visit to Damascus this week. Miliband said Syria could play a constructive role fostering stability. According to experts, Syria has an extremely efficient intelligence-gathering system renowned for tracking the movements of Islamic extremists around the middle east. Miliband's meetings, coupled with reciprocal presidential trips between Syria and France, have brought an end to the international isolation Damascus has suffered for hosting exiled leaders of Hamas and providing support for Hezbollah.
Sri Lanka army "takes rebel area"
Sri Lankan soldiers have captured a strategically important line of defence in the north of the island. After several days of intensive fighting, which claimed the lives of fifty rebels and ten soldiers, government forces overran the five-mile fortified embankment located on the northern Jaffna peninsula. Two further defensive lines are said to divide Tamil Tiger territory from the government's. Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella claimed the recent capture could herald a breakthrough in bringing an end to Tamil Tiger control in Jaffna peninsula. This latest development follows a string of government successes. Earlier this week Sri Lankan troops captured the town of Mankulam effectively cutting off rebel supply routes. On Sunday, the army claimed it had entered the Tamil Tiger stronghold of Pooneryn thereby controlling the entire western coast. The government is conducting a major offensive to end the island's civil war in which the Tamil Tigers have been fighting for a separate state for the ethnic Tamil minority.
