New al-Qaida head seeks escalation

Ayman al-Zawahri the new al-Qaida leader urged Syrianprotesters to direct their actions against Israel and the United States . "Tell both America and US President Barack Obama ... ourpowerful uprising will not stop until we raise the victorious banner of jihad(Holy War) ... over Jerusalem," Zawahri wearing a white turban and seated next toan assault rifle said in the video released over the Internet on Wednesday. There is little evidence of al-Qaida's involvement in theanti-regime protests that erupted in Syria in March and have led to the deathsof over 1,600 protesters.However Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem hassaid some of the police and members of the security forces killed in thecountry indicate al-Qaida may be responsible for some of the violence.