Al-Qaeda condemns UK

That right-on paragon of virtue Ayman al-Zawahiri has released an audio tape condemning the UK for honouring Salman Rushdie.

I have already passed comment on this blog but do feel its worth reminding him of a couple of key points:

1). Not being a British citizen it is absolutely none of his business.
2). Not everyone in this country supports this particular honour (or the system in general).
3). Rushdie is a no-mark, a nothing, an inconsequential hack about whom most of us couldn't care less.

That said, I take issue with his threats. Who the hell does he think he is dictating to us?

Being a religious nutter does not give him carte blanche to discuss internal decisions of a sovereign nation - in the same way that other fanatics had no right whatsoever to harass and intimidate the Danes over cartoons posted in their newspaper.

Of course, the Foreign Office have spoken for 'us' -

The government has already made clear that Rushdie's honour was not intended as an insult to Islam or the Prophet Muhammad

Not sure what offends me most, Zawahiri's comments or the limp wristed response from the Foreign Office. Personally, I'd have requested they tell him to rot in hell.