16/06/2011 13:18
Ayman al-Zawahiri appointed as al-Qaeda leader
Al-Qaeda has appointed Ayman al-Zawahiri as leader following the death of Osama Bin Laden, the organization's general command said in a statement, BBC reported.
Bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan in early May.
In the statement, al-Qaeda "announces that Sheikh Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, may God guide him, assumed responsibility as the group's amir [leader]".
It warned it would continue to fight a jihad or holy war against the US and Israel under his direction.
The statement posted on a militant website was attributed to al-Qaeda's General Command and was disseminated by the al-Fajr Media Centre, the media wing of al-Qaeda Central.
Egyptian-born Zawahiri was for years Bin Laden's deputy and had been widely anticipated to replace him at the helm.