Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate would not use Syria as a launching pad for attacks on the West, its chief has said in a <g data-gr-id="42">wide-randing</g> televised interview.
Without showing his face, Abu Mohamed al-<g data-gr-id="33">Jolani</g> said his group, Al-<g data-gr-id="34">Nusra</g> Front, would protect Syrian minorities that renounced the regime.
The interview which took place on Wednesday was Jolani's second with Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera TV since a similar appearance in 2013. The interviewer, Ahmad Mansur, said it was broadcast "from liberated lands in Syria."
All that could be seen of <g data-gr-id="38">Jolani</g> was a black shawl, a plaid shirt, and gesturing hands.
"The instructions that we have are not to use al-Sham as a base to launch attacks on the West or Europe, so as not to muddy the current war," <g data-gr-id="46">Jolani</g> said. "Our mission in Syria is the downfall of the regime, its symbols, and its allies, like Hezbollah," <g data-gr-id="47">Jolani</g> said, referring to the powerful Shiite movement fighting alongside the Bashar al-Assad regime.
But if the United States kept attacking them, he said, "all options are open. Anyone has the right to self-defence."
<g data-gr-id="43">Jolani</g> also denied the existence of the "Khorasan group," which the US had said was an offshoot of Al-Qaeda that was plotting attacks against the US.
Nevertheless, he lambasted the US for its air raids against Al-<g data-gr-id="40">Nusra</g> in Syria and accused it of coordinating with the Assad regime on the use of <g data-gr-id="41">air space</g>.
"America is propping up the regime," <g data-gr-id="36">Jolani</g> charged, leaning forward in an ornate golden-crusted chair.
Al-<g data-gr-id="35">Nusra</g> and its extremist rival the Islamic State group have been designated as terrorist
organisations by the US since the end of 2012.
Since September, a US-led international coalition has been raiding jihadist positions in Syria, although most strikes have targeted IS.
In recent months, Al-<g data-gr-id="31">Nusra</g> has led a rebel coalition in a series of key victories in Syria's northwest Idlib, including the provincial capital and a large military base.
Extremist groups in Syria, including Al-<g data-gr-id="32">Nusra</g> and IS, have been accused of targeting these minority communities.
IS governor of Iraqi city killed: Report
The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group's self-styled governor of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul was killed in the US-led international coalition air raids, media reported on Thursday. Coalition jets pounded IS positions in northern Iraq, killing Ibrahim Younis al-Hamdani in western Mosul and destroying military equipment.