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| Iraq |
| Al-Muhajir threatens to kill Baghdad Sunnis |
| 2006-06-14 |
| The newly named leader of al Qaeda in Iraq threatens to attack Sunni government officials in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, according to a statement published Tuesday on a Web site often used by insurgents. The statement, addressed to "my dear nation," came the day after Islamist Web sites said Abu Hamza al-Muhajer had been named the successor to terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike Wednesday. It says the death of al-Zarqawi has done nothing to discourage the insurgency and it warns the U.S.-led coalition that "between us are days that will turn your ancestors' hair white." "Don't let the joy of killing our Sheikh Abu Musab, may God bless his soul, fool you, for he left behind lions," the statement said. "He raised them by himself and they trained in his den. They believe in their ideology, and they fight only for God and in God and through God." Tuesday's message also called Sunni Arabs who take part in Iraq's new government traitors, saying they have "sold their soul to the crusaders" and threatening that "our swords are ready for your necks." "Your punishment is near, and your vain towers in the Green Zone won't protect you," it states, referring to the Baghdad compound housing a U.S. military base, embassies and the Iraqi government headquarters. CNN could not immediately authenticate the statement. The Web message did not specify why Sunnis were being singled out, but al-Zarqawi, a Sunni, and his followers were largely blamed for aggravating sectarian tensions between Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites, resulting in hundreds of deaths and other violence. Al-Muhajer's message does not suggest a cessation of the violence. "Three years have passed, during which your mujahedeen sons have given the enemy a taste of defeat and loss," the statement read. "With God's permission, your sons have gotten to the final stages and the enemy has nothing left but to show us its back. "The infidels' camp is in constant collapse." In Arabic, al-Muhajer means "the immigrant," suggesting that, like the Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda in Iraq's new leader is a foreigner. Little else is known about al-Muhajer. But one thing the two men have in common is their pledge of allegiance to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. "We are at your disposal, ready for your command," al-Muhajer wrote. "We bring you the good news that the morale is high among your soldiers. They enjoy dignified spirits that won't kneel down. All of us are under your banner. With God's permission, victory is near." U.S. counterterrorism officials said Tuesday they are not sure who al-Muhajer is -- or whether he really exists. Asked Monday about the naming of a new al Qaeda in Iraq leader, President Bush said, "I think the successor to Zarqawi is going to be on our list to bring to justice," according to The Associated Press. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #17 Verlaine, anyone who can use the word "paucity" correctly should have a blog..... |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2006-06-14 20:32 |
| #16 Second that, Verlaine, send us whatever you can/wish and we'll take care of it. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-06-14 18:32 |
| #15 Verlaine, if you have the urge to rant, put together a post and drop it in the Holding Tank. We'll annotate and even illustrate it for ya. If you want to send us some pix, email 'em to one of the mods, and the 'Burg will pick up the hosting fees. If you only have time to comment occasionally, we understand that too. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-06-14 16:33 |
| #14 You guys are killin' me. I fully intended to do a blog when I came out last year, but was stymied by 1) no time or energy after the daily grind here 2) a paucity of valuable insights, and the dilemma of having most of my inside info not suitable for public discussion (not security - issues of working relationships and official status). I even had a killer name for the blog. Looking at just a few more months now - and the way things are going, even a belated rush to blog would probably fall short. Our office is way under-staffed (a scandal in itself), and the work tempo just gets more and more ridiculous. Anyway, it's great to know of this quirky corner of the 'net, and the virtual fellowship is wonderful - so thanks to all of you. |
| Posted by: Verlaine in Iraq 2006-06-14 16:12 |
| #13 I second that Verlaine! Consider it, you have us, a ready made base of contributers and fans. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-06-14 15:53 |
| #12 Gettum a blog Verlaine... wit pictures. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-06-14 15:14 |
| #11 I hate CNN. |
| Posted by: Sattar Ahmad Jassin 2006-06-14 14:29 |
| #10 Seafarious, thanks for your comment. I guess I'm a little more confident in the "vain towers" of the IZ than the AQI twits - the indirect fire has dwindled to nothing (from very little). It's always possible they'll manage something more impressive, though it will be one-time and have no effect on the longer term course of events. But overall an AQI at war with Sunni Arabs here can only be a good thing, of course. I saw Dubya's speech in the Palace last night. The cheering and explosive reaction to his presence were striking, and enjoyable. It almost makes me a bit depressed about the USA these days - support every little policy or not, the guy is a real leader, with personal courage, almost a throw-back to another era. I've been calling him the second Harry Truman for several years, and only recently did his speechwriters subtly invite that comparison in his West Point address. Nice to see the boss out here, in the flesh. Would be even nicer to see an outbreak of common sense back home (though I well understand there's plenty of that, but it tends not to make it into news reporting or the public "debate"). |
| Posted by: Verlaine in Iraq 2006-06-14 14:21 |
| #9 Interesting. It appears that al Qaeda in Iraq could not get, or does not trust, the native help. |
| Posted by: Fordesque 2006-06-14 13:24 |
| #8 TERRORISM: 40-YEAR-OLD LIBYAN AT AL-QAEDA IN IRAQ'S HELM Dubai, 13 June (AKI) - Al-Qaeda in Iraq's new leader is a 40-year-old Libyan specialised in recruiting young Arabs to fight for the terrorist network, according to an "Iraqi expert" cited on the Internet site of the Dubai-based television network al-Arabiya. Witholding his name for security reasons, al-Arabiya described the expert as close to al-Qaeda. According to the expert, Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir - named on Monday on several Islamist Internet sites as terror network in Iraq's new leader - lived in Sudan until 1995 from where he moved to Pakistan and also Afghanistan. "I believe he stayed with a group linked to the Osama Bin Zayd Mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan before leaving for Iraq in 2001. I've been informed that he is an educated leader, in the military rather that in the spiritual field. "Abu Hamza al-Muhajir has been an al-Qaeda intelligence chief for three years during which he was responsible for maintaining links with cells in the Middle East and in certain North African countries," the unidentified expert told al-Arabiya. "In Iraq, al-Muhajir was based in the small northern town of al-Qaim (near the Syrian border and some 400 kilometres nortwest of Baghdad) from where he would direct the operations of his Arab recruits. One of his last tasks before his appointment as al-Qaeda in Iraq's leader was to organise the group's fighters in the city of Kirkuk," the expert said. Some observers have linked the series of bombs that went off in Kirkuk on Tuesday killing 24 Iraqis and wounding another 40 as possibly signalling a show of strength by the terrorist leader. "He (al-Muhajir) often travelled using false passports and two years ago he visited Algeria. He is the type of person who can remain without an identity like a ghost and who has never been [prominently] involved in Iraqi affairs. The expert said al-Muhajir's appointment to replace the slain Abu Musab al-Zarqawi will have come as a surprise to many of the network's members. Instead, two men tipped to take over al-Zarqawi's position - identified by the expert as Abu Asi and especially, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, a graduate from Iraq's military academy - would retain their positions as military commaneder. (Ham/Aki) |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-06-14 12:37 |
| #7 "The infidels' camp is in constant collapse." This jerk watches, and believes the MSM. For any of you dems out there, this may be a funding opportunity. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-06-14 10:38 |
| #6 CNN, Jan. :) |
| Posted by: Ebbomort Omamp9195 2006-06-14 06:03 |
| #5 according to a statement published Tuesday on a Web site often used by insurgents which web site? |
| Posted by: Jan 2006-06-14 03:55 |
| #4 Not this one?! |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2006-06-14 03:09 |
| #3 Hold dem dar hosses - didn't IRAN reportedly say that its was happy to see Zark get whacked, implying anti-Iran/Shia-ism on the part of Zark, ergo Zark's alleged successor threatens to attack Sunnis, thus implying that Zark's boyz = org was pro-Iran/Shia??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-06-14 03:09 |
| #2 Bluster or no, Verlaine take care. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-06-14 01:19 |
| #1 Another thug steps up for the next 500 lbs. As CNN quivers |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-06-14 01:16 |