Islamist Video - 150 Bombings of American Targets

On December 30, 2006, Islamist websites posted a nine-minute video titled "The Bombings that Destroyed the Myth of the American Military Machine on Iraqi Soil." According to the Islamist sites, the video shows "more than 150 bombings in fewer than nine minutes." The video shows a series of dozens of bombings of moving American targets (tanks, APCs, Humvees, trucks, and cars) carried out throughout Iraq at different times by various Sunni jihad groups, some affiliated with Al-Qaeda and some not. Among the groups are Al-Qaeda, Ansar Al-Sunna, Al-Jaysh Al-Islami (The Islamic Army), Jaysh Al-Mujahideen, Kata'ib Thawrat Al-'Ashrin, Jaysh Al-Fatihin, and Jaysh Al-Rashidin. No mention was made of the video's producer. A copy of the video is on file in MEMRI's archives.

Islamic State of Iraq Attempts to Establish Its Legitimacy in Online Book

On January 7, 2007 Islamist websites posted a new book titled "Informing People about the Emergence of the Islamic State," published by Al-Furqan, the production company of the Islamic State of Iraq, under the supervision of 'Othman Ibn 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Tamimi, who heads the Islamic State of Iraq's Shari'a Board. The book states that its goals are: to lay out the legal, political and pragmatic considerations underpinning the mujahideen vision for the Islamic State in Iraq; to describe the circumstances that have led to the prompt realization of this vision; and to address the debate sparked by the establishment of the Islamic State.

In the first chapter, the book explains why an Islamic state is necessary. One of the main arguments presented is that guiding people to obey God inevitably requires the establishment of a religious-political entity. Without such an authority, states the book, no effective guidance can take place. Chapter Two aims to establish the legitimacy of the Islamic State of Iraq, and specifically, to show that the Majlis Shura Al-Mujahideen legitimately represents the Muslims in Iraq and effectively implements shari'a law in all areas of life (e.g. imposes Koranic punishment, collects Islamic taxes, and wages jihad against the enemy).

Chapter Three, titled "What We Are Accused of and What We Should Say in Reply," is an attempt to counter the criticism aimed at the Islamic State of Iraq - for instance, the claim that an Islamic state should not be established while Islamic territories are still under foreign occupation and while basic security is not provided.

The fourth and last chapter aims to elicit support for the Islamic state from religious scholars, Islamic movements, Islamic youth, the various jihad organizations in Iraq, and the general Iraqi population.

GIMF Responds to Egypt's Alleged New Campaign Against "Media Jihad"

On January 8, 2007, the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) posted a response on Islamist websites to what it termed Egypt's new campaign against websites that are helping the "media jihad." In the response, the GIMF expresses doubt about Egypt's capability to fight "media jihad," saying: "The Americans themselves have not been able to stop this… astonishing 'media jihad' on the Internet… How, then, will the conspirators from the Egyptian intelligence apparatus stop it?" The message continued, "We would like to tell those who engage in this failed initiative, You are digging in water. With Allah's help, you will not succeed in attacking us, no matter what you do… With Allah's help, we will resist you with our brigades… just as we did your American lords… We have belief in Allah, knowledge, experience, and awareness [of technical matters]… We have experts, programmers, engineers, computer security experts, etc. We will discover your plans…"

The message ends with a general appeal to Muslims to assist "media jihad" - not as individuals, but in groups, so that they do not become easy prey for attacks by the enemy.

Video by the Commander of Al-Jama'a Al-Salafiyya Lil-Da'wa Wal-Qital in Algeria

On January 9, 2007, Islamist websites posted a 23-minute video of a speech by Abu Mus'ab 'Abd Al-Wadud, commander of Al-Jama'a Al-Salafiyya Lil-Da'wa Wal-Qital in Algeria (whose real name is 'Abd Al-Malik Drukdal). The video, dated January 3, 2007 and titled "We Are Coming," was produced by the organization's Media Committee.

After extending holiday greetings to the Muslims throughout the world on the occasion of 'Eid Al-Adha, Abd Al-Wadud conveys three messages. First he proclaims his organization's loyalty to Osama bin Laden, saying: "Oh Sheikh [bin Laden]... launch us wherever you wish, and you will [never] find us anything but attentive and obedient... Our announcement that we have joined [Al-Qaeda] and our oath of allegiance to you are a thorn in the side of the Alliance of Evil... We eagerly await your orders and recommendations for the next phase."

The second message is addressed to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Abd Al-Wadud urges him to support Islam and to implement the shari'a, and adds: "Your generals should know that we are courageous in battle, and that we love death as much as they love drunkenness and debauchery. In [waging] jihad, we are merely fulfilling a duty that is incumbent upon every individual Muslim since Andalusia fell, since Palestine was sold off and since we were separated by borders drawn by the invaders. By Allah, we will not tire of this essential battle until every foot of Muslim soil is liberated, or [until] we die."

The third message is addressed to the Algerian people. Abd Al-Wadud warns them that the U.S. and France are plotting to plunder their country's treasures, and calls upon every loyal Muslim to "join [him and his followers] in defending faith, land and honor."

Finally, Abd Al-Wadud commends the jihad fighters in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Chechnya for their steadfastness in jihad, and promises that victory is near.

Salahaldin Al-Ayoubi Brigades Claim To Have Launched Missiles Loaded With Chemicals

The Salahaldin Al-Ayoubi Brigades, the military wing of JAMI, Al Jabha Al-Islamiyya l'il-Muqawama Al-'Iraqiyya, announced via Islamist websites that today, January 10, 2007, it had fired four missiles loaded with chemicals at a U.S. base near Samara, Iraq. The organization posted a film showing militants wearing gas masks and filling the missiles with a liquid which the organization claims are chemicals. Below are images from the film.

To view the film, go to: http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=431504&ak=null.

The Islamic State in Iraq Urges Sunnis to Resist the Imminent Attack Against Them by the Iraqi Government

On January 8, 2007, Islamist websites posted an urgent appeal by the Islamic State in Iraq to the Sunnis in Iraq. The appeal discusses first the Al-Maliki government's recently announced "new security plan," calling it another step "in the long Shi'ite campaign to wipe out the Sunnis in Baghdad and to destroy and burn their mosques until the conditions of the Sunnis in Iraq resemble that of the oppressed Sunnis in Iran." The message, then, calls upon the mujahideen in Baghdad "to take precaution, to maintain [their] posts in the streets… and to increase the security around the mosques in order to block the attacks by Shi'ite crime gangs." The message ends by calling upon the general Sunni population to stand behind the mujahideen and to rush to the support of their young state, the Islamic State in Iraq, in order to secure the existence of the Sunnis in Iraq and to [ensure] the implementation of shari'a laws…"

The Islamic Army in Iraq Claims Responsibility for an Airplane Crash Near Balad, Iraq

On January 10, 2007, Islamist websites posted an announcement by the Islamic Army in Iraq in which it claimed to have downed the airplane (operated by a company based in Moldova) which crashed on January 9, 2007. The crash, which occurred approximately two and a half kilometers northwest of Balad, claimed the lives of the 30 Turkish workers who were on board. According to the announcement, "the airplane was about to land in an American base nearby when a military… unit of the Islamic Army opened fired on the airplane… using mid-range weapons and single-barrel machine-guns, leading to its crash…"

New Book Describes the Virgins of Paradise

On January 11, 2007, the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) posted on Islamist websites a 20-page book titled "The Desire of the Souls for the Women of Paradise." The book, by Abu Usama Al-'Iraqi, consists mostly of excerpts from medieval Islamic sources. The text focuses on the behavior and physical characteristics of the virgins who await those who enter Paradise, with emphasis on the contrast between them and earthly women. For example, it is said that the virgins of Paradise are free of all the physical and mental impurities that characterize earthly women (e.g., menstrual blood and other bodily discharges, unclean speech, and inappropriate glances at men other than their husbands).

The book ends with the following message to the reader: "...Intelligent people do not forgo [the prospect] of the brides of Paradise for the sake of false beauty in this world. They do not prefer forbidden… lust, which dooms one to Hell, over genuine desire in Paradise."

Below is the book's title page: