Al-Qaida backs Hamas

An al-Qaida leader called on Muslims worldwide to support Hamas by attacking Israeli and U.S. targets.The audio message by Osama bin Laden’s No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, to support Hamas was unusual for al-Qaida, which in the past has criticized Hamas for collaborating with the U.S.-backed Fatah faction.Hamas appeared to distance itself from the call, with Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri saying Hamas “has its own program, regardless of the comments of this group or that group,” according to The Associated Press.