Index: extlink.js
===================================================================
--- extlink.js
+++ extlink.js
@@ -59,6 +59,22 @@
     }
   });

+  // Find all area links which are NOT internal and begin with http.
+  $("area:not(." + Drupal.settings.extlink.extClass + ")", context).each(function(el) {
+    try {
+      var url = this.href.toLowerCase();
+      if (url.indexOf('http') == 0 && (!url.match(internal_link) || (extInclude && url.match(extInclude))) && !(extExclude && url.match(extExclude))) {
+        external_links.push(this);
+      }
+    }
+    // IE7 throws errors often when dealing with irregular links, such as:
+    // <a href="node/10"></a> Empty tags.
+    // <a href="http://user:pass@example.com">example</a> User:pass syntax.
+    catch(error) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  });
+
   if (Drupal.settings.extlink.extClass) {
     // Apply the "ext" class to all links not containing images.
     if (parseFloat($().jquery) < 1.2) {