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Terrorist urges earthquake relief

I call on all Muslims and Islamic charity organizations in particular to go to Pakistan and give a helping hand to the victims there, a bespectacled al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman Zawahiri has said in the tape aired on the al-Jazeera satellite television network. Wearing a white turban and seated beside an assault rifle, Zawahiri denounced Pakistan`s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

"We all know that Musharraf`s government is an agent of the United States, but despite that I call on all Muslims to run to the help of their brothers in Pakistan," he said. "We all know the United States is against the activities of Islamic charities," said Zawahiri, the Egyptian lieutenant to Osama bin Laden.

He made no reference to the fact that the U.S. was one of the first countries to offer aid after the October 8 earthquake. U.S. officials have accused several Islamic charities of funneling funds to Muslim terrorists. The tape appeared to have been recorded on Oct. 9, as Zawahiri said the earthquake had occurred the day before.