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| Al-Qaeda condemns Rushdie honour | Al-Qaeda condemns Rushdie honour |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Osama Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has threatened to retaliate against Britain for giving a knighthood to novelist Salman Rushdie. | Osama Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has threatened to retaliate against Britain for giving a knighthood to novelist Salman Rushdie. |
| The 20-minute audiotape was posted on a website used by Islamic militants. | The 20-minute audiotape was posted on a website used by Islamic militants. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said: "We will not allow terrorists to undermine the British way of life." | |
| Sir Salman's book The Satanic Verses sparked protests by Muslims around the world and led to Iran issuing a fatwa in 1989, ordering his execution. | Sir Salman's book The Satanic Verses sparked protests by Muslims around the world and led to Iran issuing a fatwa in 1989, ordering his execution. |
| In a 20-minute recording, the al-Qaeda second-in-command said the group was preparing a "very precise response" to the British knighthood. | In a 20-minute recording, the al-Qaeda second-in-command said the group was preparing a "very precise response" to the British knighthood. |
| Addressing Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Zawahiri said: "I say to Blair's successor that the policy of your predecessor drew catastrophes in Afghanistan and Iraq and even in the centre of London." | Addressing Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Zawahiri said: "I say to Blair's successor that the policy of your predecessor drew catastrophes in Afghanistan and Iraq and even in the centre of London." |
| The UK said the knighthood was not intended as an insult to Islam In the speech, entitled Malicious Britain and its Indian Slaves, Zawahiri was quoted as warning Mr Brown: "If you did not learn the lesson then we are ready to repeat it, God willing, until we are sure you have fully understood." | The UK said the knighthood was not intended as an insult to Islam In the speech, entitled Malicious Britain and its Indian Slaves, Zawahiri was quoted as warning Mr Brown: "If you did not learn the lesson then we are ready to repeat it, God willing, until we are sure you have fully understood." |
| The former Egyptian surgeon, who is believed to be the architect of the al-Qaeda ideology, said Britain's award for Indian-born Sir Salman was an insult to Islam. | The former Egyptian surgeon, who is believed to be the architect of the al-Qaeda ideology, said Britain's award for Indian-born Sir Salman was an insult to Islam. |
| The UK Foreign Office said in response to the tape that the author's knighthood was a reflection of his contribution to literature. | The UK Foreign Office said in response to the tape that the author's knighthood was a reflection of his contribution to literature. |
| "The government has already made clear that Rushdie's honour was not intended as an insult to Islam or the Prophet Muhammad," said a spokesman. | "The government has already made clear that Rushdie's honour was not intended as an insult to Islam or the Prophet Muhammad," said a spokesman. |
| The Foreign Office said it would maintain efforts to thwart terrorists. | The Foreign Office said it would maintain efforts to thwart terrorists. |
| "We will continue to tackle the threat from international terrorism as a priority in order to prevent the risk of attacks on British interests at home and overseas, including from al-Qaeda," a spokesman said. | "We will continue to tackle the threat from international terrorism as a priority in order to prevent the risk of attacks on British interests at home and overseas, including from al-Qaeda," a spokesman said. |