Boy, the big AQ is just making friends everywhere. They’ve even managed to turn a Saudi cleric that was praised by the terror chief, against them.

In the long letter published on an Arabic Web site, Cleric Salman al-Awdah calls on Mr. bin Laden to end the killing of innocent Muslims and others in terrorist acts in Iraq and elsewhere around the world.

“How much blood has been spilt? How many innocent people, children, elderly, and women have been killed, dispersed, or evicted in the name of Al-Qa’ida?” the letter says. “My brother Usama Bin Ladin, the image of Islam today is not at its best.”

This is a major turn-around. He has been very unfriendly with us, having actually supported the terrorists in Iraq.

Mr. al-Awdah is an independent cleric who was jailed for several years for criticizing the Saudi government’s links to America. He toned down his criticism after his release from prison in 1999, although he reportedly promoted Iraqi resistance when American troops recaptured Fallujah from Iraqi insurgents in 2004.

He underlines an important point, which I’ve stressed before. Al Qaeda should not be supported by Islamic groups. Al Qaeda is the enemy of Islam, and should be treated as such. All terror groups that kill innocent civilians in the name of Islam, should be condemned and thrown off. They should not be allowed to overshadow the voices of the average Muslim.