Al-Qaeda threatens UK over Rushdie's knighthood
{{date|July 10, 2007}}
{{Al-Qaeda}}
[[w:Al-Qaeda|Al-Qaeda]]'s No.2 [[w:Ayman al-Zawahiri|Ayman al-Zawahiri]] warned in a 20-minute audiotaped message that the [[w:Knighthood of Salman Rushdie|knighthood]] of [[w:Salman Rushdie|Salman Rushdie]] was defying the Islamic world by granting the honour to the author of ''[[w:The Satanic Verses|The Satanic Verses]]'', which was deemed an insult to [[w:Islam|Islam]].

Al-Zawahri said in the message that a "very precise response" is in preparation to retaliate against this offence, "And if you did not understand, listen, we are ready to repeat it for you."

Rushdie was given the [[w:Knight|knighthood]] last month by [[w:Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]. The [[United Kingdom]]'s [[w:Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] said the honor was not intended as an insult to Islam but was "a reflection of his contribution to literature."

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1274578,00.html
|title=Al Qaeda Threat To UK Over Rushdie
|author=
|pub=Sky News 
|date=July 10, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_mi_ea/al_qaida_tape
|title=Al-Qaida threatens UK over Rushdie honor 
|author=AP
|pub=Yahoo! News
|date=July 10, 2007}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:Literature]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Al-Qaeda]]
[[Category:Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]

[[fr:Al-Qaida menace après l'anoblissement de Salman Rushdie]]
Al-Qaeda's No.2 Ayman al-Zawahiri warned in a 20-minute audiotaped message that the knighthood of Salman Rushdie was defying the Islamic world by granting the honour to the author of The Satanic Verses, which was deemed an insult to Islam.

Al-Zawahri said in the message that a "very precise response" is in preparation to retaliate against this offence, "And if you did not understand, listen, we are ready to repeat it for you."

Rushdie was given the knighthood last month by Queen Elizabeth II. The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the honor was not intended as an insult to Islam but was "a reflection of his contribution to literature."
Politics and conflicts Culture and entertainment Literature Europe United Kingdom Islam Al-Qaeda Foreign and Commonwealth Office