DUBAI – Iraq’s al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said militants were justified under Islam in killing civilians as long as they are infidels, according to an audio tape attributed to him on Friday.
“Islam does not differentiate between civilians and military (targets) but rather distinguishes between Muslims and infidels,” said the man on the tape posted on the Internet, who sounded like Zarqawi.
“Muslim blood must be spared … but it is permissible to spill infidel blood,” said the speaker.
The comments appeared a day after the Pentagon said it had obtained a letter to Zarqawi from al Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, saying tactics being used such as bombing mosques and killing hostages might alienate the Muslim masses.