Ayman al-Zawahiri praises Osama bin Laden; vows to continue 'jihad'

Slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's longtime deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri has threatened to attack America, saying his leader terrified the US in his life and will continue to do so even after his death.

"We will pursue the jihad until we expel the invaders from Muslim lands," Zawahiri said in a eulogy for Laden in a video message titled 'The Noble Knight Dismounted'.

He vowed to make sacrifices needed to "deprive America of security."

"The man who terrified America in his life will continue to terrify it after his death," the SITE Intelligence Group reported him as saying in the 28-minute video posted on jihadi websites.

Zawahiri, considered as al-Qaeda's operational head and is likely to be the group's next leader, lauded Laden, who was killed by US special forces in a covert operation in garrison town of Abbottabad in Pakistan on May 2.

"You will continue to be troubled by his famous vow: You shall not dream of security until we enjoy it and until you depart the Muslims' lands," said Egyptian-born militant who was in white Arab robe and a turban with a Kalashnikov at his side.

He blasted the US for burying Laden at sea and asked the Pakistani people to rise against their rulers, describing them as "traitors."