Al-Qaeda site backs McCain

Al-Qaeda supporters have said they are hoping John McCain becomes the next US President, as the "impetuous" Republican candidate would be more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a message posted on the password-protected al-Hesbah website this week, Al-Qaeda supporters said McCain had "pledged to continue the war till the last American soldier". He was the best choice for President, if Al-Qaeda wanted to exhaust the UD both militarily and economically: "Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march of his predecessor, Bush."

The message also suggests that the best way to usher in a McCain presidency would be to carry out a pre-election terror attack.

"If Al Qaeda carries out a big operation against American interests," the message said, "this act will be support of McCain because it will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda then will succeed in exhausting America till its last year in it."

SITE Intelligence Group, based in Bethesda, Maryland, monitors the Web site and translated the message.