Islamist Websites Monitor No. 63
Islamic State in Iraq Accuses Satellite Channels of Distorting the Truth by Disregarding Its Existence
A communiqué by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), posted February 13, 2007 on Islamist websites, accuses satellite channels of deliberately avoiding any mention of the ISI in their reports, and of attributing ISI operations to Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The message stresses that Al-Qaeda in Iraq has become part of the ISI army, which now includes many groups - Jaysh Al-Islam, Jaysh Al-Mujahideen, Jaysh Al-Fatihin, Jaysh Ansar Al-Sunna, Kataib Al-'Ishrin, and 'Asaib Al-Iraq, as well as other groups that were part of Majlis Shura Al-Mujahideen.
The communiqué further states that following the ISI's establishment, all these groups pledged allegiance to its leader, Emir Al-Muaminin (Commander of the Believers) Al-Baghdadi. The message concludes by calling on the satellite channels to follow the rules of professional news reporting and stop distorting the truth.
Islamist Websites Monitor No. 64
New Al-Zawahiri Speech Titled "Tremendous Lessons and Events in the Year 1427 AH"
On February 14, 2007, Islamist websites posted 41-minute video [1] of Ayman Al-Zawahiri's speech summarizing the events of the Muslim year 1427, under the title "Tremendous Lessons and Events in the Year 1427 AH." The video, produced by Al-Qaeda's "Al-Sahab" media group, is accompanied by English subtitles.
In his speech, Al-Zawahiri said that in the past year Bush was forced to admit his failure in Iraq and to acknowledge that the Taliban had intensified its jihad in Afghanistan. He characterized the U.S.'s "collaborators" in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Muslim countries as traitors and "merchants of religion," and said that the jihad fighters had defeated the Americans and acted to bring glory to Islam. Al-Zawahiri called on Arab nationalists and secularists to return to Islam and to join the jihad for the sake of Allah against "the cruelest Crusade in history." He said that "fighting for the sake of Allah and bearing arms are today a personal obligation [incumbent on every Muslim], and those who cannot bear arms themselves must aid those who bear arms."
Al-Zawahiri blessed the jihad fighters in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, and urged the mujahideen all over the world - in Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Chechnya, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Kashmir - not to lay down their arms and to remain steadfast, since victory was near. Finally, Al-Zawahiri thanked those in the Islamic jihadist media for "their blessed efforts, which cause the Crusaders, the Zionists, and their helpers to lose sleep."
"Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghrib" Claims Responsibility for the Six Car Bombs in Algeria
In a communiqué posted on Islamist websites on February 13, 2007, the "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghrib" organization, formerly known as "The Salafi Group for Preaching and Combat" (GSPC), claimed responsibility for the February 13, 2007 simultaneous explosions in Algeria. According to the message, the mujahideen "selected their targets carefully... using remote guidance technology [for the car bombs]." The message adds that the successful attack caused the total destruction of five police stations in both the Boumerdes and Tizi Ouzo districts, and led to the death and wounding of over 140 people associated with the police.
The message ends with a warning to "the robbers' state and the slaves of the French Jews and Christians that the descendants of Tariq Ibn Ziyad and the youth of Islam in the Islamic Maghrib have made a decision to uproot [you] and to liberate the lands of Islam from every Christian, apostate, and collaborator."
Islamist Websites Monitor No. 65
Video Shows Jihad Fighters Firing Rockets at U.S. Army Base in Khorasan
On February 11, 2007, Islamist websites posted a three-minute video headed "BM Rockets Fired on an American Army Base in Warah on the Second Day of [the Muslim month of] Dhu Al-Qa'da [November 23, 2006]." The video, produced by Al-Qaeda's media company Al-Sahab, is part of a series called "The Americans' Holocaust in Khorasan, the Islamic Emirate." It shows a number of fighters setting up a rocket launcher, unpacking and preparing the rockets, and then firing 11 of them in sequence. After the operation, the fighters pack up their gear and leave.
The video can be viewed at: http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=588078&ak=null
Below are images from the video.
Video Shows Al-Qaeda Operations Against Algerian Army
On February 15, 2007, Islamist websites posted a 24-minute video produced by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb organization (formerly called Al-Jama'a Al-Salafiyya Lil-Da'wa Wal-Qital). The video, dated February 2007 and titled "Ambush and Five Bombings against the Betrayers of Islam in Algeria," was described as the first in a series of videos called "Sword Shadows."
The film opens with an excerpt from an address by Osama bin-Laden, followed by an address by the commander of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Abu Mus'ab Abd Al-Wudud. The latter calls on Muslim youths to "join the contemporary war of Islam, waged by the camp of the believers against the camp of the infidels."
A caption then states that the film will show the following:
- An ambush laid out for Algerian military forces in Al-Akhdariya.
- Two bombs set off next to an Algerian army convoy in Dalas.
- Two land mines set off next to soldiers from the Al-Akhdariya army base.
- A bomb set off next to a City Guard commander in Shu'bat Al-'Amir.
- A bomb set off next to Budkhan City Guard forces.
The captions for the footage of the first attack explain that it targeted forces from the National Army's Al-Sham base in the Al-Akhdariya mountains. They state further that 24 "betrayers of Islam" were killed in this operation, while no jihad fighters were killed or injured.
The footage shows a convoy of trucks traveling across mountainous terrain, and several jihad fighters opening heavy fire from an ambush. Next, the film shows the bodies of Algerian soldiers as well as equipment captured by the jihad fighters, including guns, ammunition and a radio communications device.
The next two operations shown in the film both involve two explosions. According to the video, the first explosion was to draw as many soldiers as possible to the area, to kill them with the second explosion.
The last two operations were against City Guard forces in two different locations.
A link to the video will not be provided due to the sensitive nature of its content.
Below are images from the video.
[1] The video shows a still photograph of Al-Zawahiri, while the speech is heard in the background.
