BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblatt accused Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Zawahiri on Tuesday of sullying the Syrian opposition's image.

“Al-Qaeda has reared its head again ... to tarnish the image of the Syrian opposition, its peaceful protests and legitimate demands for freedom and democracy, pluralism and change, which suggests that Ayman al-Zawahiri’s appearance at this particular time is a piece of intelligence work par excellence," Jumblatt said in a statement.

“Raising the specter of Al-Qaeda at this sensitive time the Syrian Revolution is passing through as a result of the Syrian regime crackdown and its insistence on using violence as the only means in dealing with the just demands of the Syrian people ... raises more than one question mark,” Jumblatt added.

“Beware of these [Al-Qaeda] measures and the intentions behind them,” he warned, arguing that such actions demand increased vigilance.