Al Qaeda Leader Encourages Muslims To Kidnap Westerners

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is calling on Muslims to kidnap any Westerners they see, because of previous kidnappings, like the one of American aid worker Warren Weinstein in Pakistan.

The announcement was made during a two-part video that lasted more than two hours and was posted on jihadist websites, reports CNN.

In the video, al-Zawahiri called for more abductions, and for Muslims to not “spare any efforts” to free Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was the mastermind behind the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Al-Zawahiri stated in the video:

“God the great and almighty granted us success to capture the Jewish American Warren Weinstein. We are seeking, by the help of God, to capture others ant to incite Muslims to capture the citizens of the countries that are fighting Muslims in order to release our captives.”

The Al Qaeda leader was also critical of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi for his stances on numerous issues. Ayman al-Zawahiri called for Sharia law to be instituted in Egypt. The video comes on the same weekend as Muslims are celebrating the Eid al-Adha, the “feast of sacrifice,” notes The Examiner. Al-Zawahiri added:

“I call on every free and honorable [person] in Egypt to participate in every protest against the Israeli Embassy, against the peace treaty with Israel, against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, and against every siege of Gaza. Islamic movements and masses must be at the forefront of those protests and the first to sacrifice for their sake.”

The FBI has a standing $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of the al Qaeda leader, who took over after the death of Osama bin Laden. Ayman al-Zawahiri is wanted for murdering US nationals outside the United States. He is believed to be hiding in Pakistan’s tribal region, which borders Afghanistan.