Al-Qaida No. 2 in Yemen slams US strikes in audio released after denial he was killed by drone
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - In this undated frame grab from video posted on a militant-leaning Web site, and provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, shows Saeed al-Shihri, deputy leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The deputy leader of al-Qaida in Yemen is calling on Saudis to revolt against the kingdom’s regime, calling the royal family “the greatest agent of America” and slamming the use of bases in Saudi Arabia to launch lethal U.S. drone strikes. Saeed al-Shihri’s 14 minute-long audio recording was made public on Wednesday, Aptil 10, 2013, just days after al-Qaida in Yemen posted a statement on militant websites claiming that its second-most senior commander had not been killed in a U.S. drone strike. (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group, File) (The Associated Press)
The deputy leader of al-Qaida in Yemen is calling on Saudis to revolt against the king, slamming the use of bases in Saudi Arabia to launch lethal U.S. drone strikes.
Saeed al-Shihri's audio recording appeared to back up al-Qaida denials that he was killed in a drone attack. Al-Shihri calls the Saudi royal family "the greatest agent of America."
The 14-minute audio recording was made public on Wednesday. It was not known when it was recorded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Saudi national was reported killed by a U.S. drone strike earlier this year by Yemeni security officials, based on alleged Saudi intelligence.
In the recording, al-Shihri accuses the Saudi ruling family of betraying Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula, which is home to Islam's holiest site in Mecca.