Al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahri said his terror network carried out the July 7 London bombings, in a statement, marking the group's first direct claim of responsibility for the attacks that killed 52 people.
"The blessed London attack was one which al-Qaeda was honoured to launch against the British Crusader's arrogance and against the American Crusader aggression on the Islamic nation for 100 years," al-Zawahri said in the tape aired on Monday on Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV.
"In their final testament, the heroic brothers in the London attacks... provided great lessons to the Islamic nation and Muslims in Pakistan to oppose the infidels," said al-Zawahri, who was shown in the tape wearing a white turban and speaking to someone who was interviewing him off camera.
Complete Coverage: The London blasts
In another tape aired September 2, al-Zawahri, who is thought to be hiding along the rugged Afghan-Pakistani border, issued a veiled claim of responsibility for the attacks that also killed the 4 bombers.
"This blessed attack revealed the real hypocritical face of the West," said bushy grey bearded al-Zawahri, who wore a black vest over a white shirt in the tape.
The latest tape was apparently made recently as he referred several times to Sunday's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, which he said were held "under the terror the lords of war," an apparent reference to the country's government.
Al-Zawahri also criticised the British government's plans to deport firebrand cleric Abu Qatada and nine other Islamic extremists detained in Britain in the wake of the July 7 bombings.
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