Al Qaeda has released a message from slain leader Osama bin Laden praising the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia and urging Muslims to take advantage of a “rare historic opportunity” to rise up, a US monitor said.
The message posted on jihadist forums on Wednesday by Al Qaeda’s media arm As-Sahab addresses Muslims on the revolutions sweeping the Middle East and North Africa, SITE Intelligence Group said. Speaking from beyond the grave, bin Laden recommends setting up a council to offer revolutionary advice and decide the best timing to spread revolt across the Muslim world.
“A delay may cause the opportunity to be lost, and carrying it out before the right time will increase the number of casualties,” bin Laden says, according to SITE’s translation of the 12-minute, 37-second audio message. “I think that the winds of change will blow over the entire Muslim world, with permission from Allah.”