A man claiming to be a representative of al Qaeda recently sent a threatening letter to an Arabic Australian newspaper, which called Saddam Hussein a "hero," "martyr," and a "living leader." While the man's links to al Qaeda could not be verified, his comments about recently deceased former Iraqi dictator noted al Qaeda and Hussein's shared outspoken loathing of both America and Shi'ites.

"You are low infidels and scum. You Shiites are dogs. You are scum, to be trodden underfoot. From Moqtada Sadr to Hassan Nasrallah, all your leaders are dogs and scum. Do not think that the death of Saddam will save you. We will deter you with terrorism here inside Australia.

"We will destroy the newspaper’s headquarters in Sydney very soon, God willing. We will destroy the newspaper’s headquarters in Melbourne. You will be butchered. Every Iraqi Kurd and Shiite in Australia will be butchered. I promise you in the name of Al-Qaida. You will be trodden on with shoes, you dogs.

"Has the death of the President, the martyr, the living leader and hero who will never die, Saddam Hussein, a lesson for you? Do you want to savage the Sunnis, you dogs? I say to you, and repeat and reiterate, do not forget that one day we will take revenge, God willing, by liquidating the dog, Moqtada Sadr, who visited America and gave up Saddam.

"You are dogs, you are scum, you are filthy, you are the lowest people on the face of earth. Your writers and correspondents are scum. I have all their names. I will uncover their addressees my own way, through our well-structured organisation in Melbourne and Sydney."