Qaeda figure calls for attacks on new Somali govt

DUBAI (Reuters) - An al Qaeda leader, in a video released on Islamist websites on Friday, urged Somali militants to step up attacks against Somalia's new moderate government, which he dismissed as U.S.-backed.

"Aim your arrows towards them..., direct your battles against them and intensify your campaign against them," Abu Yahya al-Libi said on the video. He called for a jihad, or holy war, against the new government of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, a moderate Islamist who was elected late last month as president.

"Prepare to fight against the campaign of conspiracies illustrated by the recent farcical presidential election ..., which America -- the world leader of infidels -- was the first to welcome," Libi said.