Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said in a videotape broadcast on Monday al Qaeda would continue to attack the United States until Washington changed its policies toward the Muslim world.

"We are a nation of patience and we will continue fighting you (United States) until the last hour," Zawahri said in the excerpts of the tape which were aired by Arab satellite television Al Jazeera.

"Our final advice to America, although I know they will not heed it: You must choose between two methods in dealing with Muslims. Cooperate with them with respect and based on mutual interests or deal with them as free loot, robbed land and violated sanctity," he said.

Egyptian-born Zawahri is Osama bin Laden's right hand man and has been pictured traveling with the al Qaeda leader through Afghanistan. He is on the FBI's list of its 22 "most wanted terrorists."

The latest video, in which Zawahri was wearing a white turban and sitting with an automatic rifle next to him, appeared to have been taped before the U.S. presidential elections because he said it not matter to al Qaeda whether Americans chose President Bush or Democratic challenger John Kerry.