“Years of bitter trial and experience have revealed the danger embassies pose and shown that the only way to deal with them when they refuse to leave of their own accord is to expel them by force,” he said.

The al-Qaeda message also focused on the testimony of suicide bomber Abu Othman, who was shown sitting in a leafy shaded garden explaining how he had once fought in Afghanistan and his reasons for going on jihad, or holy war, against the United States.

“These embassies are used to spread moral degradation and encourage women to display themselves and wear make up,” said Othman. “They also promote adultery and drinking.”

“I joined the jihad but then my father came and took me home, but I convinced my parents about the blessings of jihad and they let me return and fight,” he added. Othman was shown helping to wire his white compact car with explosives and at the end of the video, he hugged his friends goodbye before driving off into the night to carry out his mission.

Al-Qaeda’s No 2, Ayman Zawahri, also appeared on the video praising Othman’s decision and he outlined the crimes of Western countries against the Islamic world, showing images of US soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as mosques being destroyed.

The March 2006 attack that killed Foy, which was claimed by al-Qaeda, also killed three Pakistanis and wounded about 50 others.

It happened a day before US President George Bush made an official visit to Pakistan.

... contd.