Zawahiri blasts Saudi leadership, Hamas

The Al-Qaeda number two accused the Saudi leadership of being the deputies of the Americans in the Arab world.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, number-two in the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, accused the Saudi leadership of being "the deputies of the Americans" in the Arab world.

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In a video message broadcast late Sunday by Al Jazeera news channel, al-Zawahiri attacked the militant Hamas movement for "selling out" Palestinians in order to cling to power.

He lashed out at last month's Makkah agreement between Hamas and the rival Fatah faction of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to form a government of national unity. The agreement was reached under the diplomacy of Saudi King Abdullah.

Khalil Abu Laila, a Hamas leader in Gaza, told reporters in response that Al-Zawahiri made "many mistakes."

He said the Makkah agreement was meant to save Palestinian lives, while Hamas maintains its "Palestinian principles."