Jaysh Al-Islam to Hamas's 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades: Announce Establishment of an Islamic Emirate in Gaza
On June 20, 2007, Islamist websites posted a 13-minute video message titled "A Message from Jaysh Al-Islam to 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades." In it, a veiled speaker congratulates the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades on their recent takeover of the Gaza Strip, saying: "We would like to convey our happiness at [the actions of] our brothers in the Izz Al-Qassam Brigades against the treacherous apostates [i.e. Fatah] who used to control the apparatuses which spied... on Muslim mujahideen in Palestine. And we ask Allah to complete their [task] on the way to implementing Islamic shari'a and imposing the rule of Allah..."
The speaker then asserts that if 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam announces "the establishment of an Islamic emirate in the Gaza Strip, Jaysh Al-Islam and its soldiers will be ready to serve the Islamic Emirate's army... as long as [this emirate] rules according to Allah's scripture and the sunna of the Messenger of Allah..."
The speaker goes on to implore the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassan Brigades not to pressure Jaysh Al-Islam to release kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston unless the conditions for his release as set by Jaysh Al-Islam are met. "We captured him [i.e. Johnston] based only on the religious considerations of our respected 'ulama... Our brothers in Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, are you hurt by the fact that we strive to release Muslim prisoners? Do you know what our brothers experience in British jails? Therefore, we ask you and everyone who wishes to make the banner of Allah supreme to work [with us] hand in hand, to unite under one banner, and to speak in one voice under the flag of 'there is no God but Allah' in an Islamic emirate... It is not worth spilling even one drop of Muslim blood in a fight among us for the sake of this infidel [i.e., Johnston]..."
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The speaker then warns that pressuring Jaysh Al-Islam to release Johnston without the demands being met will force the organization to "slaughter this correspondent."
In response to a question by journalists, the veiled speaker states: "Many among our nation think that the Jaysh Al-Islam Organization is under the control of one family or one person. We stress that Jaysh Al-Islam does not stand for one person or family, but rather is the army of Islam and the Muslims in general..."
The video can be viewed via the following link: http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=947612&ak=null
Below are images from the video:
