Iraq

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Laith Alkhouri Sunday, 25 April 2010 14:00

On April 24, 2010, the al‐Fajr Media Center released a statement from the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) confirming the deaths of Al‐Qaida in Iraq (AQI) military leader Abu Hamza al‐ Muhajir and Abu Omar al‐Baghdadi, the Amir al‐Mumineen (“Commander of the Faithful”) of AQI. On April 19th, the U.S. Department of Defense had announced that “a series of Iraqi‐led joint operations conducted over the last week resulted in the Iraqi Forces, with U.S. support, executing a nighttime raid on the AQI leaders’ safe-house. The joint security team identified both AQI members, and the terrorists were killed after engaging the security team. Additionally, al-Masri’s assistant, along with the son of al‐Baghdadi, who were also involved in terrorist activities, were killed.” The ISI statement mourned the deaths of “two men who were known as two steadfast heroes on the path of jihad in spite of the inflammation of calamities and the stress of hardships and the rising number of enemies.” The communiqué also announced that most of the members of Abu Bakr Army had joined the ISI.

IAI Admits Grudging “Admiration” for Aspects of U.S. Election

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Evan Kohlmann Saturday, 20 December 2008 19:00

The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from the media spokesman of the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), Dr. Ali al-Nuaimi, concerning the recent U.S. presidential elections. According to Dr. al-Nuaimi’s statement, “There were significant lessons demonstrated during the recent American elections… [such as] how Hillary [Clinton] stepped down after facing increasing support for Obama in the polls… She has put aside all disagreements and previous conflicts with him in order to work together, along with their party, to achieve victory… This story presents a valuable lesson to our own honored nation, in which our people, our leaders, our clergy, and the mujahideen all fight amongst each other… In our nation, we witness disgraceful acts of competition between people, even using legal tactics, and refusing to support others during their campaign to achieve their goals… It is truly a shame… Another admirable scene took place after McCain’s defeat, when he went out to speak to his supporters and continued on in listing his mistakes and congratulating Obama for his victory… Despite the devastating defeats they suffered, each candidate avoided criticizing or attempting to demonize the other—or even trying to harm or kill their opponents, similar to what takes place among candidates in our nation… All of their differences have been transformed into support and assistance, and that is a fact to admire.” However, the IAI also strongly warned its supporters not to become hopelessly “mesmerized” by the landmark election of Obama: “The shared hatred for America around the world may change after the historic election of a black president. Dear brothers, this issue is of supreme importance… We should not become mesmerized by our enemies… People tend to imitate their lords and teachers, the defeated mimick the victorious, and the weak imitate the strong… Becoming hypnotized by the infidels and their capabilities is an unfortunate thing.”

Growing Chorus of Sunni Militants in Iraq Turn On Al-Qaida

- November 6 statement from the Saad Bin Abu Waqas Brigades (SBAW)
- November 11 statement from the Al-Fatihin Army

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Evan Kohlmann Thursday, 11 December 2008 19:00

The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated recent communiqués from two major Sunni insurgent groups active in Iraq, voicing their solidarity with and support for the Mujahideen Army in their ongoing war of words with the leader of Al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Hamza al-Muhajir. On November 6, the Saad Bin Abu Waqas Brigades (SBAW) issued a statement warning, “the brothers from [Al-Qaida] have, more than once, accused the mujahideen at large of being infidels, hypocrites, and apostates. This issue is dangerous and serves only the interests of the enemies of the Islamic nation. It weakens the mujahideen, igniting discord and conflicts amongst them, and it inspires treacherous decisions concerning the permissibility of [spilling] blood and [seizing] money… It spreads anarchy within the mujahideen… We express our astonishment and surprise at the repeated targeting of the mujahideen and the doubts raised about them without any proof… We call upon the brothers from [Al-Qaida] to refrain from abandoning the mujahideen, targeting them, and placing them in the circle of the infidels, apostates, and hypocrites without any evidence or proof. We believe that this action will only support the interests of the enemies of Islam and jihad.” Days later, on November 11, the commanders of the Al-Fatihin Army in Iraq also published their own reaction to “Abu Hamza al-Muhajir’s fabrications… The threats that he has made to some of these [insurgent] factions represent one of the most critical factors in weakening the jihad, wasting the lives of mujahideen, and causing quarreling and infighting amongst them—leading to bloodshed and the wasting of financial resources. This serves nothing but the interests of the enemies of Islam… especially when the accusations are coming from one of the commanders of the jihad and its symbols.” The Al-Fatihin Army added, “concerning [Abu Hamza’s] claim that he had notified the [insurgent] factions about the declaration of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) beforehand—we had no clue about this development, and learned of it only after it was published in the media.”

Insurgents Condemn “Hideous Slander” from AQI’s al-Muhajir

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Evan Kohlmann Thursday, 04 December 2008 19:00

The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from a prominent Sunni insurgent group in Iraq known as the Mujahideen Army. The statement, issued in response to a controversial recent audio address from Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, angrily condemned Abu Hamza for spreading “hideous slander”, “fabrications”, and “falsifications” about the Mujahideen Army abandoning the cause of jihad. The Mujahideen Army insisted that they have neither joined in the Awakening movements, nor in “the methodology of fanaticism, of which [Al-Qaida is] the central pillar.” The group added, “in order to prevent our enemies from gloating over us… [and] drag[ging] our conflicts [with Al-Qaida] into the spotlight… that is the only reason why we kept silent about their actions and the crimes that their followers have committed… We didn’t kill a single one of them, although we could have if we had wanted to.” Countering with their own allegations of insurgent fratricide by Al-Qaida, the Mujahideen Army openly mocked the intelligence of Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who “seems to believe that by randomly throwing out accusations against others, that will somehow make his fabrications come true and his imaginary illusions become real… to the extent that [he is] no longer acting out of concern for jihad, the Islamic nation, and our religion.”

Iraqi Insurgents Issue Open Letter to President-Elect Obama

Last Updated (Monday, 29 November 1999 19:00) Written by Evan Kohlmann Tuesday, 11 November 2008 19:00

The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new Arabic-language communiqué issued by the Political Council of the Iraqi Resistance (PCIR), an umbrella organization which oversees the political interests of several major Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq—including the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), the Salahudeen al-Ayyubi Brigades (JAAMI), Hamas al-Iraq, and the breakaway “Shariah Committee” from the former Ansar al-Sunnah Army. The statement from the PCIR, addressed to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, offered blunt advice “for the new American administration to benefit from and to use to avoid the mistakes that the old administration fell into. The reason why you won the presidency is not because the Americans suddenly found out that they should not be racist, it is because of the many mistakes that the Bush administration fell under which didn’t leave for the American citizen any room, not even for a second to think about keeping that administration and the least proof for this is the large numbers of votes against them. Your campaign promises were built on change and the time for it has come, and we say with that the time has come… therefore we ask for change and do not listen to those who tell you that a withdrawal from Iraq is a defeat. We say to you that a withdrawal will mean a triumph of reason and logic… You must correct your mistakes and work with courage to pay compensation to all those who you have destroyed, their families or their house or their psychology. And you must release all those you have as prisoners until the last Iraqi of them, and you must order the sectarian government to release all its prisoners and to return the balance of security to Iraq. Without this we will not think that you will be coming with the change that you have promised, and if you do this you will be written down in history as the courageous one.”