DUBAI (Reuters/AFP) - Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri urged Syrian protesters to direct their movement also against Washington and Israel, denouncing the United States as insincere in showing solidarity with them, according to an Internet video issued on Wednesday. "America, which cooperated with (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad during his whole regime, claims today that it stands with you when it saw him floored by the earthquake caused by your fury," he said in the video posted on Islamist websites often used by al Qaeda. "You are standing with your bare chests facing tank and artillery shells and helicopters," Zawahiri said of the Syrians demonstrating against Assad, whom he denounced as "America's partner in the war on Islam in the name of fighting terror". "Tell both America and (US President Barack) Obama: ... our powerful uprising will not stop until we raise the victorious banner of jihad ... over Jerusalem," said Zawahiri, wearing a white turban and robe and seated next to an assault rifle. Meanwhile, European Union governments agreed in principle on Thursday to extend sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, EU diplomats said. The EU wants to increase pressure on Assad to end a crackdown against demonstrators. It has already imposed restrictive measures against him and at least two dozen officials, and has targeted military-linked companies in Syria. Under Thursday's agreement, five more people will be targeted with restrictions such as asset freezes and a travel ban. "There is a principal agreement to extend the list of sanctioned persons by five," an EU diplomat said, declining to give details of the individuals targeted. Once formally approved by EU envoys, the sanctions will come into effect early next week. Meanwhile, Syrian forces have turned the screws in their clampdown on a democracy movement, arresting more than 100 people including two leading activists, rights groups said Thursday, on the eve of more mass rallies. Security forces armed with machine guns and other weapons arrived in the town of Qatana, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Damascus, on pickup trucks and carried out the arrests before searching for more protesters.