Ayman al-Zawahiri appointed al Qaeda's new leader

[link to www.cnn.com]

Ayman al- Zawahiri has been appointed the new leader of al Qaeda, according to a statement posted on several jihadist websites.

Al-Zawahiri has played a defining role in al Qaeda for more than a decade as Osama bin Laden's deputy. Even before the announcement, he had been widely regarded as the organization's de facto leader.