My-oh-my...
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| Israel-Palestine |
| Al-Qaeda announces the formation of Gaza affiliate |
| 2005-08-04 |
| One of Al-Qaida's official Web sites has announced the establishment of a regular military wing in the Gaza Strip. A declaration posted in the past few days on an Islamist site considered a mouthpiece for Abu Musab al-Zarkawi, Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man in Iraq, claimed that the wing, "The Jihad Brigades in the Promised Land," had in the past few days carried out its first attacks by firing mortar shells and new Sajil rockets from the vicinity of Khan Yunis toward Gaza Strip settlements, among them Neveh Dekalim and Ganei Tal. "The Brigades are not a new organization but merely a spirit of faith pushing the jihad fighters in the promised land to close ranks behind an honest and uncompromising leadership," the posting read. The Israel Defense Forces were extremely skeptical Wednesday of the online posting, which was deemed unreliable, noting the choice of operation documented - mortar shelling - is not within the scope of Al-Qaida interests. However, the announcement may refer to a local Islamic organization in the Gaza Strip with some loose affiliation to global jihadist activity. There is evidence that in recent months several armed factions have been active in the Gaza Strip that do not recognize the truce: members of the Popular Resistance Committees, which are considered Fatah's wing in the center and south of the Strip, along with parts of Hamas that disagree with the group's entry into Palestinian politics. Palestinian Authority sources say these groups are operating independently under the auspices of "foreign Islamic elements," engaging in the familiar activity of firing at Gaza Strip settlements and into Israel. There has been a clear escalation recently in the religious pronouncements by Jamal Abu Samhadana's PRC, which in recent months has refused to acknowledge the truce. The organization's flyers have begun adopting Al-Qaida terminology, including pronouncing senior PA officials "heathens." The PRC, which was founded at the start of the intifada as an additional Fatah arm comprised of members of the Palestinian security services and which began operating as a militia under the aegis of the Abu Samhadana clan, was apparently responsible for the assault on the convoy of American diplomats near the Erez checkpoint at the end of 2003, in which at least two of the convoy's security guards were killed. In the past, several - mostly unknown - groups in the Gaza Strip had claimed affiliation to Al-Qaida. They went by various names, one being Jundallah, but they quickly disappeared. By contrast, the recent posting is accompanied by other hallmarks, such as a videotape documenting the firing, in keeping with Al-Qaida's conduct in Iraq. Most Palestinian organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, publicly disavow Al-Qaida activity and Palestinian security officials also emphasize they will not permit Al- Qaida-linked groups to operate in the territories. All of the organizations have reaffirmed in recent days their commitment to halting fire in the Gaza Strip until the Israeli pullout is complete, but it is possible that small groups, particularly the PRC, will try to violate the cease-fire. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 Affiliate of Binny's Band in Gaza? My-oh-my... |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-08-04 18:38 |