Zarqawi Tape Criticizes Muslim Scholars
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Notorious Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appears to be increasingly desperate, accusing Muslim clerics of betrayal in an audio recording released Wednesday.
In the tape, the Al Qaeda-linked terror leader says clerics have not spoken out enough against U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recording, posted on an Islamist Web site, has not yet been authenticated.
Al-Zarqawi, who leads the feared terror group Al Qaeda in Iraq, is believed to have escaped from his headquarters in insurgent-held Fallujah during the massive U.S.-led assault on the city earlier this month.
U.S. and Iraqi security forces continued their search for him after reports that he was north of Baghdad..............
Zarqawi and his group, formerly named Tawhid wa-Jihad (Monotheism and Holy War), is believed to be behind many bomb attacks and hostage beheadings in Iraq. The United States has put a $25 million bounty on his head.
It's not clear if the message, addressed to the ulama — the community of Muslim religious scholars — was intended as a direct threat against religious scholars.
"You have let us down in the darkest circumstances and handed us over to the enemy... You have quit supporting the mujahedeen [holy warriors]," the voice purporting to be that of Zarqawi said. "Hundreds of thousands of the nation's sons are being slaughtered at the hands of the infidels because of your silence."
"You made peace with the tyranny and handed over the countries and the people to the Jews and Crusaders ... when you resort to silence on their crimes, when you refused to hold the banners of Jihad and Tawhid, and when you prevented youth from heading to the battlefields in order to defend the religion," he said.
"Instead of implementing God's orders, you chose your safety and preferred your money and sons. You left the mujahedeen facing the strongest power in the world," he said. "Are not your hearts shaken by the scenes of your brothers being surrounded and hurt by your enemy?"
This week, two clerics who were part of an influential Sunni group that openly called for a boycott of Jan. 30 national elections because of the U.S. offensive against Fallujah were assassinated by gunmen.
On Tuesday, Sheik Ghalib Ali al-Zuhairi, was killed as he left a mosque after dawn prayers in the town of Muqdadiyah, 60 miles north of Baghdad, police said.
His assassination occurred a day after another prominent Sunni cleric was killed in the northern city of Mosul — Sheik Faidh Mohamed Amin al-Faidhi, who was the brother of the association's spokesman. It was unclear whether those two attacks were related.
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Notorious Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appears to be increasingly desperate, accusing Muslim clerics of betrayal in an audio recording released Wednesday.
In the tape, the Al Qaeda-linked terror leader says clerics have not spoken out enough against U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recording, posted on an Islamist Web site, has not yet been authenticated.
Al-Zarqawi, who leads the feared terror group Al Qaeda in Iraq, is believed to have escaped from his headquarters in insurgent-held Fallujah during the massive U.S.-led assault on the city earlier this month.
U.S. and Iraqi security forces continued their search for him after reports that he was north of Baghdad..............
Zarqawi and his group, formerly named Tawhid wa-Jihad (Monotheism and Holy War), is believed to be behind many bomb attacks and hostage beheadings in Iraq. The United States has put a $25 million bounty on his head.
It's not clear if the message, addressed to the ulama — the community of Muslim religious scholars — was intended as a direct threat against religious scholars.
"You have let us down in the darkest circumstances and handed us over to the enemy... You have quit supporting the mujahedeen [holy warriors]," the voice purporting to be that of Zarqawi said. "Hundreds of thousands of the nation's sons are being slaughtered at the hands of the infidels because of your silence."
"You made peace with the tyranny and handed over the countries and the people to the Jews and Crusaders ... when you resort to silence on their crimes, when you refused to hold the banners of Jihad and Tawhid, and when you prevented youth from heading to the battlefields in order to defend the religion," he said.
"Instead of implementing God's orders, you chose your safety and preferred your money and sons. You left the mujahedeen facing the strongest power in the world," he said. "Are not your hearts shaken by the scenes of your brothers being surrounded and hurt by your enemy?"
This week, two clerics who were part of an influential Sunni group that openly called for a boycott of Jan. 30 national elections because of the U.S. offensive against Fallujah were assassinated by gunmen.
On Tuesday, Sheik Ghalib Ali al-Zuhairi, was killed as he left a mosque after dawn prayers in the town of Muqdadiyah, 60 miles north of Baghdad, police said.
His assassination occurred a day after another prominent Sunni cleric was killed in the northern city of Mosul — Sheik Faidh Mohamed Amin al-Faidhi, who was the brother of the association's spokesman. It was unclear whether those two attacks were related.
Comments