US aiding India's N-plans: Al-Qaeda

Second in command Al-Zawahiri has assailed Bush for bolstering India's plans, while "doling out orders" to Pak.

Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri has lashed out at US President George W Bush accusing him of giving a "strong impetus" to India's nuclear programme while "doling out orders" to Pakistan.

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In a video released on a Jihadist website, Zawahiri pointed to a visit by Bush in March to New Delhi during which he signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with India.

"He gives a strong impetus to the Indian nuclear programme, while doling out orders to Pakistan," the Al-Qaeda leader said on Friday.

He also lashed out at Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for his support to the US-led war on terror.

"Musharraf is fighting Islam in Pakistan ... Threatens national security in Pakistan... Has placed Pakistan's nuclear programme under Americans, therefore Jewish and Indian control."

"I call on the people of Pakistan to work to remove this traitor from power...And I call on every officer and soldier in the Pakistani army to disobey their commanders' orders to kill Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan," Zawahiri said.

In the third message from the organisation in a week, Zawahiri said "Musharraf was prepared to flee abroad where he had bank accounts when the popular revolution breaks out."

According to the video the "message to the people of Pakistan" was recorded after the third anniversary of the fall of the regime of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003.