Al Arabiya (Saudi Royal Family Owned) Report

Syria’s Nusra refutes Qaeda merger but pledges support

The head of Syria's jihadist al-Nusra Front on Wednesday pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in an audio message, but distanced his group from claims it had merged with al-Qaeda in Iraq.

“The sons of al-Nusra Front pledge allegiance to Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri,” Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani said in the recording.

But, he added, “we were not consulted” on an announcement by al-Qaeda in Iraq chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Tuesday of a merger with al-Nusra Front.

[link to english.alarabiya.net]