New al-Qaida leader vows to avenge al-Zarqawi's death

CAIRO, Egypt -- The new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq vowed to avenge the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and threatened horrific attacks "in the coming days," according to a Web statement Tuesday -- the first from the new terrorist leader.

"Don't be overcome with joy about killing our sheik Abu Musab, God bless his soul, because he has left lions behind him," it said.

The statement was posted a day after the group announced that a man identified by the nom de guerre Abu Hamza al-Muhajer would succeed the Jordanian-born militant as its leader. Al-Zarqawi died June 7 in a U.S. airstrike on a safehouse in Baqouba, north of Baghdad.

"You crusaders, what will happen in the coming days is something that will turn your children's hair white -- battles that will reveal the falsehood" of your might, the weakness of your soldiers and your lies, the statement said.

The statement, posted on a Web site that frequently airs militant messages, appeared with the black banner of al-Qaida in Iraq and photos of al-Zarqawi alive and dead. Its authenticity could not be verified.

Al-Muhajer vowed to continue his predecessor's fight, saying "holy warriors" in Iraq were "stronger than ever."

"The holy fighters have made the enemy taste the bitterness of defeat and humiliation. With God's permission, your sons have reached the decisive moment," it said.

In the message, al-Muhajer also spoke directly to Osama bin Laden, saying al-Qaida in Iraq was "waiting for your signal and we are under your orders."

"We want to deliver good news about the high morale of your soldiers, and the good people fighting under your banner," he said.

The statement identified al-Qaida in Iraq's main targets as U.S.-led troops, Shiites and Sunni collaborators.

"It's no secret the ferociousness of the battle that is going on between the soldiers of right and the soldiers of wrong -- the crusaders, the rejectionists" and apostates in Iraq, it said.

President Bush said Monday that al-Muhajer would join the ranks of those sought by the United States.

"I think the successor to Zarqawi is going to be on our list to bring to justice," said Bush, who made a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday.

Al-Muhajer pointed to the western city of Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold, as a possible next battleground.

The U.S. military has said it is intensifying operations in Ramadi but denied preparing an offensive on the scale of the one against neighboring Fallujah in 2004.

Al-Muhajer is believed to be a non-Iraqi Arab, like his predecessor, but little else is known about him. His name had not appeared in previous al-Qaida in Iraq propaganda, or on U.S. lists of terrorists with rewards on their heads.

The lack of information released by al-Qaida about al-Muhajer since al-Zarqawi's death appeared to reflect a new emphasis on secrecy by the group. U.S. forces have launched raids based on intelligence in the safehouse where al-Zarqawi was killed. The group may fear infiltration, or that al-Zarqawi's public stance led to his downfall.