Iraq: Top Insurgent Leader Nabbed
Ticketing on Amtrak just got a whole lot easier, thanks to Apple's iPhone. / Craig Dilger for The New York Times
The shadowy leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al Qaeda-inspired group that challenged the authority of Iraq's government, was captured Friday in a raid on the western outskirts of Baghdad, an Iraqi military spokesman said.
Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was arrested along with several other insurgents in a raid in the town of Abu Ghraib, said Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, spokesman for the Baghdad security operation. U.S. officials had no confirmation of the capture and said they were looking into the report.
Al-Moussawi said al-Baghdadi admitted his identity, as did another "of the terrorists" who confirmed "that the one in our hands is al-Baghdadi."
The arrest of al-Baghdadi would be a major victory for U.S. and Iraqi forces in their fight against Sunni insurgents, especially the hardcore religious extremists who have shown no interest in negotiating an end to their struggle.
But some analysts have pointed out that the al Qaeda-linked extremists rebounded following the death last June of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the charismatic al Qaeda in Iraq leader who died in a U.S. air strike in Diyala province.
The self-styled Islamic State of Iraq was proclaimed in October, when a militant network that includes al Qaeda in Iraq announced in a video that it had established an Islamic state in six provinces including Baghdad that have large Sunni populations, along with parts of two other central provinces that are predominantly Shiite.
Unlike al-Zarqawi, virtually nothing is known of al-Baghdadi, including his real name. It is widely assumed that the name al-Baghdadi was taken as part of a campaign to make al Qaeda appear more of a homegrown Iraqi movement rather than an organization dominated by foreigners.
In a tape released last November, al-Zarqawi's successor, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, called on Sunni Muslims to pledge their allegiance to this new state and said al-Baghdadi was "the ruler of believers" with al Qaeda in Iraq fighters under his command.
Since then, the trappings of an Islamic shadow state with al Qaeda as its base has been taking shape in some towns and cities of Anbar province where a government presence hardly exists, according to Sunni residents.
In Other Developments From Iraq:
President Bush's troop buildup in Baghdad apparently will be bigger and more costly — and perhaps last longer — than it seemed when he unveiled the plan in January as the centerpiece of a new Iraq strategy. The total number of troops required for the plan, while still uncertain, is climbing. When Bush announced the boost of 21,500 combat troops, the Pentagon said still others would be required to go with them in support roles. Its initial estimate of 2,400 support troops has doubled and may go higher still.
U.S. forces killed a suspected militant and captured 16 others in raids across Iraq, the military said. Among those detained were a man accused of working in al Qaeda's media wing and another believed to be responsible for kidnappings, beheadings and suicide attacks.
International envoys on Friday were preparing for Saturday's international conference in Baghdad, which will be held at Iraq's Foreign Ministry just outside the heavily-fortified Green Zone. Mohammed Shakeel, a Middle East analyst with the risk consultancy firm Global Insight, said the March 10 conference was "the first realization on the part of all of the parties involved" that the situation within Iraq could not be resolved by factors and influences within the country alone. "The input of Iran is essential here, the input of Syria and the rest of the neighbors, Saudi Arabia included. The fact that they have all been brought together is a realization that more needs to be done to bring the violence under control," he said.
Prime Minister al-Maliki strolled Baghdad's streets and visited police checkpoints Friday to showcase security ahead of Saturday's conference. He chatted with residents, shook hands with Iraqi soldiers and bent down to kiss children who lined up behind cement barriers in the street. But the tour — during a weekly four-hour vehicle ban every Friday for the Muslim holy day — also pointed out Baghdad's inherent risks. Al-Maliki's office did not release any advance details of the outing because of safety concerns, but issued photos afterward.
A civilian contractor who dismantled explosives in Iraq for an environmental management consulting and technical services company has been killed. Donald Neil, 44, of Marston, Mass., was handling an explosive when it detonated. It was Neil's second tour in Iraq as a civilian; he had served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was arrested along with several other insurgents in a raid in the town of Abu Ghraib, said Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, spokesman for the Baghdad security operation. U.S. officials had no confirmation of the capture and said they were looking into the report.
Al-Moussawi said al-Baghdadi admitted his identity, as did another "of the terrorists" who confirmed "that the one in our hands is al-Baghdadi."
The arrest of al-Baghdadi would be a major victory for U.S. and Iraqi forces in their fight against Sunni insurgents, especially the hardcore religious extremists who have shown no interest in negotiating an end to their struggle.
But some analysts have pointed out that the al Qaeda-linked extremists rebounded following the death last June of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the charismatic al Qaeda in Iraq leader who died in a U.S. air strike in Diyala province.
The self-styled Islamic State of Iraq was proclaimed in October, when a militant network that includes al Qaeda in Iraq announced in a video that it had established an Islamic state in six provinces including Baghdad that have large Sunni populations, along with parts of two other central provinces that are predominantly Shiite.
Unlike al-Zarqawi, virtually nothing is known of al-Baghdadi, including his real name. It is widely assumed that the name al-Baghdadi was taken as part of a campaign to make al Qaeda appear more of a homegrown Iraqi movement rather than an organization dominated by foreigners.
In a tape released last November, al-Zarqawi's successor, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, called on Sunni Muslims to pledge their allegiance to this new state and said al-Baghdadi was "the ruler of believers" with al Qaeda in Iraq fighters under his command.
Since then, the trappings of an Islamic shadow state with al Qaeda as its base has been taking shape in some towns and cities of Anbar province where a government presence hardly exists, according to Sunni residents.
In Other Developments From Iraq:
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Posted by fbeji at 04:38 PM : Mar 10, 2007
Nope, lars008 did. After hearing his constant whining prayers Jesus shot himself in the head.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! March 23, 1775
The following text is a fatwa, or declaration of war, by Osama bin Laden first published in Al Quds Al Arabi, a London-based newspaper, in August, 1996. The fatwa is entitled "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places."
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/terrorism/international/fatwa_1996.html
Text of Fatwah Urging Jihad Against Americans
http://www.ict.org.il/articles/fatwah.htm
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm
Osama bin Laden's Declaration of War
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden%27s_Declaration_of_War
Patton: Men, all this stuff you've heard about America not wanting to fight - wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans traditionally love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, big league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost and never will lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.
Patton: We're gonna keep fighting. Is that CLEAR? We're gonna attack all night we're gonna attack the next morning. If we're not VICTORIOUS. Let no man come back alive.
Patton: Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man. If anything made by God can be overcome, anything made by man can be overcome.
Prophets don't come with sword and chariot.
http://www.livius.org/men-mh/messiah/messiah_med01.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrina_Iacobi
Antichrist
In the Book of Daniel the evil one is a military leader modeled on Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who persecuted the Jews.
http://www.answers.com/topic/antichrist
Daniel
Daniel recorded his visions (which became prophecies) for future as well as present use; including prophecies about the exact date of the coming of the Jewish Messiah into Jerusalem,
http://www.answers.com/topic/daniel-
http://www.fallofislam.com/?gclid=CInG1aqk64oCFRkEIwodSF4mmg
http://www.fallofislam.com/Bible_Prophecy.html
didn't the bible warn of muhammad and other false prophets?
Matthew 7:15
Matthew 24:11
Matthew 24:24
Mark 13:22
Luke 6:26
2 Peter 2:1
1 John 4:1
http://bibleresources.bible.com/keywordsearchresults.php?keyword=false+prophets&multiplemethod=phrase&version1=9&numpageresults=25&sortorder=bookorder
This same Grand Mufti was the maternal uncle of Yassir Arafat! The Mufti's war continues today worldwide.
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=apiraq&sid=37138459&mid=1148296
John of Damascus, himself a resident of the Caliphate's capital city, described the Saracens in the early 8th century :
There is also the people-deceiving cult (threskeia) of the Ishmaelites, the forerunner of the Antichrist, which prevails until now. It derives from Ishmael, who was born to Abraham from Hagar, wherefore they are called Hagarenes and Ishmaelites. And they call them Saracens, inasmuch as they were [sent away] empty-handed by Sarah (ek tes Sarras kenous); for it was said to the angel by Hagar: "Sarah has sent me away empty-handed" (cf. Genesis xxi. 10, 14).
These, then, were idolaters and worshippers of the morning star and Aphrodite whom in fact they called Akbar (Chabar) in their own language, which means "great". So until the times of Heraclius they were plain idolaters. From that time till now a true prophet appeared among them, surnamed Muhammad (Mamed), who, having happened upon the Old and the New Testament and apparently having conversed, in like manner, with an Arian monk, put together his own heresy. And after ingratiating himself with the people by a pretence of piety, he spread rumours of a scripture (graphe) brought down to him from heaven. So, having drafted some ludicrous doctrines in his book, he handed over to them this form of worship (to sebas).
In this extract, John might actually have been referring to Allat, a pre-Islamic goddess equated with Aphrodite.
http://www.answers.com/topic/saracen
Posted by singinrick at 10:20 AM : Mar 10, 2007
Gone around the bend. Koo Koo! Basing modern foreign policy on a 2000 year old book of fables. I don't know if that's more stupid then insane or more insane then stupid. This is no different then if he said Odin wrote a book that tells him he wants the Vikings to come back and reclaim all of Norway because that's what he told him again when praying to him. All prepare for the 2nd coming of Odin! But don't forget there'll be a "rapture" first when Viking long boats will be pulling up to a shore near you to take you away. Be sure to buy your blue gym suits and white tennis shoes. Oh wait, that's for the other god that comes in a space ship behind a comet. (sigh) Sometimes it's hard to get the fairy tales from bleeding over into each other. Where oh where is Jim Jones when you need him?
"After preliminary investigations, it was proven that the arrested al-Qaeda person is not Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, but, in fact, another important al-Qaeda official," said Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Mousawi, an Iraqi military spokesman.