US-Yemeni radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi has called for the killing of Americans "without hesitation" and accused Iran of trying to impose control over Sunnis in the Gulf, SITE monitors said on Monday. "Do not consult anyone in killing Americans," Awlaqi said in a 23-minute video posted on jihadist websites, according to the US monitoring group.
"Killing the devil does not need any fatwa (religious edict)," he added. "It's either us or you," Awlaqi said, addressing Americans in the video, which first surfaced on October 23 when one minute of footage was posted on jihadist forums. "America and Israel are controlling our ummah (nation) and soon Iran will interfere to get its share of the pie," he said.
"There is a US-Israeli struggle on one side and an Iranian on the other to impose their control on Sunni areas." The Gulf's "Sunni citizens" will be "the first victims" of Iran, said Awlaqi, speaking in Arabic from behind a desk and sporting a sheathed dagger in his belt.
He accused Iran of trying to "spread a deviant ideology in Yemen," referring to Shiism. Awlaqi also criticised the Sanaa government's position on southerners. "Why does the government deal in this barbaric manner with ... those who are demanding their rights" in the south, he asked.