Zawahiri's Message.

Dr. Zawahiri on July 4 appeared in a new video on a Website used by Islamist militant groups, urging unity in jihad and calling for the overthrow of "corrupt" Muslim governments in the region. The English version of the title posted on the site was "The Advice of One Concerned" and the video showed the Egyptian cleric Zawahiri wearing a white robe, speaking in Arabic with English sub-titles.

The US-based SITE Institute, which monitors Islamist Websites, released a transcript which appeared to match the 95-minute video produced by al-Qaeda's media arm as-Sahab and monitored on the Internet by Reuters in Dubai.

Zawahiri expounded at length in the video on what he calls the corruption of the Saudi royal family, condemned Palestinian concessions to Israel and criticised the Egyptian government as an ally of the US.

The video was edited in a sophisticated way, incorporating clips from al-Jazeera, US public TV and other international news stations. At one point it invokes evidence from American journalist Bob Woodward's book on Iraq, "Plan of Attack".

It was unclear when Zawahiri was speaking, but the video said it was produced in the Muslim lunar month which corresponds to mid-June to mid-July. Zawahiri lashed out at those who did not accept the "Islamic State of Iraq", and said it was crucial to the revival of an Islamic Caliphate.

US commanders say tribal leaders are increasingly turning against al-Qaeda, but Zawahiri said there was growing support from the Iraqi people. He said: "Today, the wind - by the grace of Allah - is blowing against Washington". In the transcript, Zawahiri called for unity in Iraq, saying: "The Mujahideen of Islam in Iraq of the Caliphate and Jihad are advancing with steady steps towards victory... The first thing which our beloved brothers in Iraq must realise is the critical nature of unity".

Zawahiri called on all Muslims to support the fight in Iraq and elsewhere. He said the "long-term" plan for the movement consisted of fighting to change "corrupt and corruptive regimes" and "hurrying to the fields of jihad like Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia for jihadi preparation and training".

In another similar passage he mentioned North Africa, scene of recent attacks claimed by al-Qaeda. He said there was no "single recipe for change" but that "force must be an element in the pursuit of change", whether through a military coup, a popular uprising or civil disobedience against corrupt governments.