The Washington Times - June 3, 2009, 06:44AM

A recorded message attributed to the No. 2 official in the al Qaeda terror network has called President Obama a “criminal” on the eve of his Mideast visit, the BBC is reporting.

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Ayman al-Zawahiri said Obama’s “bloody messages” cannot be hidden by “polished words,” the BBC reported. Obama is due to make a major speech on relations with the Muslim world in Egypt later this week.

The message’s authenticity could not immediately be confirmed.

I guess this is al Qaeda’s preemptive strike on Obama’s speech.

Some might say that al Qaeda is afraid Obama could sway Muslims away from the terror group’s rhetoric.  Insofar as a terror group has rhetoric, it’s a possibility.

You know, if al-Zawahiri ever met Obama, he’d see that president’s a pretty cool guy.  They probably could go out and shoot some hoops together.  I hear al-Zawahiri’s got game.