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Mystery Man Declares War on Al Qaeda

November 08, 2006 4:46 PM

Abu_osama_nrIn a mysterious video posted on the Internet today, an unknown masked man identified as "one of the jihad leaders in Iraq" threatens to fight al Qaeda and groups affiliated with it in Iraq.

The tape suggests either a deep split in Iraqi insurgent groups or a skillful propaganda coup by U.S. intelligence services, according to Fawaz Gerges, an ABC News consultant and professor of International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College.   

He says there have been major skirmishes between al Qaeda in Iraq and some tribes in the past few weeks resulting in a number of casualties. "Civil war is raging within the broader jihadist movement," notes Gerges.

Speaking Arabic on the tape, the masked man, "Abu Osama al Iraqi," announces the establishment of a secret alliance of six groups and 16 tribes, a total of 3,000 men, to fight al Qaeda in Iraq and the other groups, who he blamed for killing Sunnis. 

"We know that the crusader has been waiting for this day, that it's his happiest day, but we are forced to do so," says al Iraqi. He adds that the plan is to use snipers to kill members of the opposite groups, then start attacking their cars before finally having face-to-face armed confrontations with them.

The same masked man claims to have previously asked Osama bin Laden to remove al Qaeda leaders from Iraq because of their indiscriminate killings.

"We're waiting for Osama bin Laden's response regarding our previous message because we think it reached him," says al Iraqi, adding that if they don't hear from him in a week, it means he can't see the truth.

The sound quality on the tape is poor and often unintelligible. Al Iraqi's voice may have been altered to make it unrecognizable, especially to members of the groups he intends to fight. The video was produced by an unknown entity called "The Word of Truth." A note posted at the end of the video asks members of al Qaeda to correspond and send questions about the statement to a specific Yahoo! e-mail address.

November 8, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (53)

User Comments

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The only link between AQ and the insurgency has been in the mind on Cheney and the MSM echo chamber.

Posted by: Jesus Reyes | Nov 8, 2006 5:09:42 PM

I'm a registered Democrat who's still giddy from the result of the elections, and if his constituents won't vote him out then I hope Jefferson gets hit by a bus. If we needed any more signs that American politics favor incumbents far, far too much, this is it.

Posted by: David | Nov 8, 2006 6:42:31 PM

i think this is ridiculous and that the Republicans will be bck in power come nxt elections because the democrats have no clear plan of action

Posted by: jon | Nov 8, 2006 8:20:53 PM

"A note posted at the end of the video asks members of al Qaeda to correspond and send questions about the statement to a specific Yahoo! e-mail address. "
WOWOW! reply to an Yahoo! ID. This is too childish! and these "rival milliants" expect Al-qeada to reply to this ID, so that US gov can get their IP address :-)! very funny...

Posted by: netnoob | Nov 8, 2006 11:17:19 PM

This is so obvioiusly US intelligence propaganda. What a joke.

Posted by: Jen | Nov 9, 2006 1:08:31 AM

"i think this is ridiculous and that the Republicans will be bck in power come nxt elections because the democrats have no clear plan of action "

Please tell me what "plan of action" the crony republicans have provided. Spend money borrowed from china is not a plan. Actually it's worse than that. We now have to create many new plans to pay china back. when i say we, i mean all americans. that's where your tax dollars are gonna go. as far as our presence as a fierce military...gimme a break. Iraq and afghanistan are BOTH winning...and we're still spending. at least haliburton is doing well.

Posted by: mike in indy | Nov 9, 2006 1:17:19 AM

Umm...Nancy Pelosi already gave a detailed plan for the Dems first 100 hours in office on election night itself. They want to raise the minimum wage to $.25/hour, "break the link between lobbyists and legislation," enact all reccomendations from the 9/11 commission, broaden the types of stem cell research allowed to recieve federal funds, roll back Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and enact a "pay as you go" system which will not allow any increase in the budget. How is that not a plan? In fact, how is that not a GREAT plan?

Posted by: Travis | Nov 9, 2006 6:19:42 AM

Al Qaeda is a CIA creation.

Posted by: John | Nov 9, 2006 9:39:49 AM

Tim Osman was the CIA's nickname for OBL. This one is just another sock-puppet. Nothing to see here folks keep moving.

Posted by: Ricochet | Nov 9, 2006 10:50:59 AM

This is definitely a fake propaganda attempt by some U.S. Intelligence. It's too stupid to be true. BTW, go Republicans!

Posted by: Ash | Nov 9, 2006 12:28:04 PM

I find it amazing at the number of Americans who want to defend the terrorists because they don't like VP Cheney-just amazing.

Posted by: Joey | Nov 9, 2006 2:36:06 PM

I do not want to "defend terrorist because I don't like Cheney", in fact it is a toss-up who I dislike more the former or the later. Both have given me reason to question the motive behind everything they do.

But I do want a change in the action, I want a thought to develope that does not have at its root the phrase "liberal" anything. I am so sick of hearing how Dems have no plan, or will get us all killed just because we dare to want this war to be paid for as we go, and that we want bench marks to be met and degrees of seperation made, I am not a bad American because of my wanting these things.
The feeling I have now after tuesday vote is more people out there agree with me. And I won't be accussed of wanting bad things to happen to our Troups if I dare say "bring them home" .

You can't tell me the military thinks this has gone well. Or that they believe thier Commander in Chief has his right wing s--t together. Perhaps the right wing nuts can tell us what thier plan is and we can go about ending this mess.

The presure can now shift to asking real questions in Washington about what is really going on.

Or does it benifit the right to drag this out and to keep everyone believing it can't end and will go on and on and on and on.....I want answers and I want them now.

Posted by: Bonnie J Kimberly | Nov 9, 2006 3:22:24 PM

Fools, every one of you who voted Democratic are fools. The Democrats only have a plan to wreak the country. Now we are at the mercy of our enemies who rejoice in the knowledge the have the coward infidels back in control of the United States government. Now there will be an attack on US soil. When that happens all you fools who voted Democratic will be begging for the Republican Conservatives to come save the day. Fools.!!!!!

Posted by: John | Nov 9, 2006 3:36:18 PM

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

John Stuart Mill

Posted by: K.G. | Nov 9, 2006 4:24:17 PM

"to fight al Qaeda in Iraq and the other groups, who he blamed for killing Sunnis"

al Qaeda is a sunni group. so why would they be blamed for sunni deaths? If this was real you think they would be blamed for Shi'a deaths

Posted by: kevin | Nov 9, 2006 4:38:16 PM

Rumsfeld is that you? I was expecting him to find a new job so soon!

Posted by: Aaron | Nov 9, 2006 4:38:26 PM

JOHN,
Are you trying to be funny, or did you forget who was in charge when 911 or the 1st WTC bombing happened?
And the word is "wreck." I think Mr. Bush has pretty much made a wreck of things by wreaking havoc to our economy in the long term (wait till next year), our standing in the world, and our diplomatic efforts for the next 20 years. He has turned us into a big, fat joke.

K.G.,
Who said dems weren't willing to fight for anything? Being liberal doesn't mean total passivity. I was all for Afghanistan, but even you "conservative" types have to recognize that the Iraq war for democracy was just an attempt at wagging the dog (and stealing oil) that got out of hand. Look at Iran & N. Korea and ask me if Bush really cares about our security. All those people killed in Iraq. And for what?!?

Posted by: Bigdawg88 | Nov 9, 2006 4:55:56 PM

SO saying "Dems have no plan" is the best the lemmings can do? That rhetoric is as tired as the troops at this point. I think the lemmings missed the big FLIP FLOP by the lead lemming when he asked Rummy to resign.

Keep chanting how you'll be back in two years, but I suspect 2008 is when the other shoe drops. this backlash is large its hairy and its here to stay for a while.

Come knocking in 08 and I think America is going ot say we gave at the office. And gave and gave and gave and now the money IS ALL GONE.

Posted by: R.G. | Nov 9, 2006 6:04:35 PM

The CIA think that we are not inform.....Sunnis agains Sunnis....what a lovely plan

Posted by: Ricardo | Nov 9, 2006 8:13:48 PM

The CIA think that we are not inform.....Sunnis agains Sunnis....what a lovely plan

Posted by: Ricardo | Nov 9, 2006 8:20:13 PM

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