(CNN) -- A man identified as al Qaeda's No. 2 official issued a eulogy for a slain comrade and made reference to a few hot-button events in recent months: the botched Times Square car bombing, the Israeli commando flotilla strike and the proposed burqa ban in France.
The remarks came in an audio message said to be from Ayman al-Zawahiri that was posted on Islamist websites. It appeared Tuesday, but it is not clear when it was produced.
CNN could not verify the authenticity of the message. Another message said to be from al-Zawahiri appeared earlier in July.
The speaker mourns the loss of Sheikh Mustafa Abu Yazid, who had been third in command, and said he was killed along with six other family members in recent weeks.
His martyrdom "marks the glad tidings of the coming victory in Afghanistan, and soon the banner of the victorious Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will be flying all over this blessed land".
Al-Zawahiri mentions the May 1 attempted Times Square bombing and addresses people from the United States and NATO countries: "You are the ones who are paying the hefty price.
CNN
