BAGHDAD , Iraq ( CNN ) -- An audio message attributed to Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri , the highest ranking former member of Saddam Hussein 's regime still at large , salutes the `` People of Palestine '' and calls on them to fight back against Israel in Gaza . A 1999 file image of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri , who served under Saddam Hussien 's regime and who is still at large . `` We say to the people of Gaza , give more resistance and we will be with you in the field , and know that our victory in kicking out the invaders is your victory as well , because the main assailant on the nation and on Palestine is the American imperialism , '' the recording said . `` A salute to the martyrs of the massacre , and our condolences to their families . '' Al-Douri 's recording follows reports of a similarly defiant message from al Qaeda 's deputy chief a day earlier . Ayman al-Zawahiri reportedly vowed revenge for Israel 's air and ground assault on Gaza and called Israel 's actions against Hamas militants `` a gift '' from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama . Israel is in the 12th day of a military operation against Hamas militants , who have been firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel . Al-Douri 's 30-minute recorded message was broadcast Wednesday on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television over an old picture of al-Douri , wearing his Iraqi military uniform . CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice on the tape . This is not al-Douri 's first purported audio message . There have been at least four others over the past three years in addition to a statement attributed to him . Al-Douri , 66 , served as vice-chairman of Hussein 's Revolutionary Command Council . He remains at large nearly six years after the war in Iraq began . He has previously been reported killed and captured , although those reports later turned out to be erroneous . He was the King of Clubs ( No . 6 ) on the U.S. military 's card deck of most wanted regime officials . The U.S. military says he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq with Iraqi funds he transferred to Syria before Hussein 's government collapsed in April 2002 . But it says his influence has waned while he has been in hiding . U.S. officials say al-Douri played key roles in the chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988 and in putting down Kurdish and Shiite revolts after the 1991 Persian Gulf War .
Al-Douri was vice-chairman of CNN 's Hussein . 30-minute recorded message broadcast on Al-Douri Iraqi satellite television . CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice . U.S. says he has helped finance the insurgency against Iraq troops in U.S. .