A mysterious letter appeared this week in the media. It was a letter from Al
Qaeda’s second in command intended for the head of Al Qaeda Iraq, but its
authenticity is in serious question.

U.S. intelligence officials who released a letter purporting to be from
an al Qaeda leader to Iraq insurgency leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi this week
said on Friday they could not account for a passage that has raised doubts
about the document’s authenticity.

The July 9 dated letter, which U.S. officials say was written by al
Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, appears near its close to urge
the Iraq insurgent leader to send greetings to himself if visiting the Iraqi
city of Falluja.

“My greetings to all the loved ones and please give me news of Karem and
the rest of the folks I know,” says an unedited English translation posted
at www.dni.gov, the office Web site of U.S. intelligence chief John
Negroponte.

“And especially, by God, if by chance you’re going to Falluja, send
greetings to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,” it states.

Full article

here.

It seems that perhaps this letter could be some fabricated document released
to the media (imagine that – fabricated documents still emerging even during the
climax of the Valerie Plame investigation).

Juan Cole, a professor on the Middle East, also seriously doubts the
authenticity of the letter. You can read his review of it

here, which is very convincing.