Ansar Al-Sunna Claims Responsibility for the Downing of a Helicopter in Baghdad

On January 24, 2007 Islamist websites posted a communiqué by Ansar Al-Sunna in which the organization claimed responsibility for the January 23, 2007 downing of a helicopter in Baghdad. According to the message, the event took place when the organization confronted the Iraqi Army, while the army was attempting to kidnap a resident in Al-Fadhl, Baghdad, destroying one of its hammers and killing several of its soldiers. Two American helicopters that rushed to the assistance of the Iraqi Army came under the mujahideen's heavy fire and one was shut down. The mujahideen, according to the message, hurried to the site of the helicopter crash and, under fire from the other helicopter, collected the downed helicopter crew's weapons, personal belongings and documents. The post included pictures of some of the American's identification cards, dog tags, credit cards, and medical documents. Due to the sensitive nature of this content MEMRI will not release these images.