Qaida Claims Rocket Attacks from Southern Lebanon
Al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for firing rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel.
A video, apparently produced and posted online by the group, recently surfaced featuring footage of two hooded militiamen assembling rockets and positioning them to fire at Israeli military targets from what is purported to be South Lebanon, the Daily Star reported Monday.
It said the video claims to feature the voice of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and calls for a renewed wave of attacks against "Zionist" aggressors from inside Lebanon.
It also attacked Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, accusing him of being a "big imposter" and colluding with United Nations peacekeepers – troops the video labels "crusaders."
The video criticizes Hizbullah for its cooperation with UNIFIL over Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 34-day war between Israel and Hizbullah.
"How come groups who want to liberate Palestine are considered traitors when Hizbullah is protecting the crusaders (UNIFIL)?" asked the video, adding that "Hizbullah is using the Palestinian cause to fulfill Iran”s orders."
"Why don”t you use your rockets to liberate Palestine? Why are you condemning attacks without taking real action?" al-Qaida asked.
In direct address to Nasrallah, the video inquires: "What”s the difference between you and Hosni Mubarak?" – a reference to the Egyptian President”s decision not to open the Rafah crossing in January this year, delaying humanitarian aid reaching Gaza during the Israeli bombardment of the city.
Toward the end of the video, the Daily Star said, shaky pictures showed rockets placed on makeshift wooden launch pads in dense shrubbery as chants calling for an onslaught against Israel are looped over the handheld footage.