Dubai: Al Qaeda's second-in-command urged Muslims to continue attacks against 'criminal' America and slammed US President-elect Barack Obama for vowing to back Israel during his campaign.

Ayman al-Zawahri warned Obama that he would fail if he followed the policies of President George W. Bush, according to an audio tape published on Wednesday by the SITE Institute, a US organisation that monitors Islamic militant groups.

Zawahri also criticised Obama for what he described as turning his back on his Islamic roots.

Source : Reuters