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| Iraq |
| Ayman urges Zark to keep up the fight in captured memo |
| 2005-10-07 |
| The second-ranking leader of Al Qaeda has warned the top militant in Iraq that attacks on civilians and videotaped executions committed by his followers threaten to jeopardize the broader extremist cause, a senior United States official said Thursday. The warning, from Ayman al-Zawahiri to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was spelled out in a 6,000-word letter, dated early in July, that was obtained by American forces conducting counterterrorism operations in Iraq, the official said in a briefing. Mr. Zawahiri said that Iraq had become "the place for the greatest battle of Islam in this era," but that Mr. Zarqawi's forces should keep in mind that it was only a stepping stone toward a broader victory for militant Islam across the Middle East. "The mujahedeen must not have their mission end with the expulsion of the Americans from Iraq, and then lay down their weapons, and silence the fighting zeal," Mr. Zawahiri said in the letter, according to a partial translation provided by the official, who declined to provide verbatim translations of anything more than three sentences from the document. Under the ground rules for the briefing, the official cannot be identified. The official said Mr. Zawahiri also warned that Mr. Zarqawi's forces should concentrate their attacks on Americans rather than on Iraqi civilians, and should refrain from the kind of gruesome beheadings and other executions that have been posted on Qaeda Web sites. Those executions have been condemned in parts of the Muslim world as violating tenets of the faith. The official said the letter was made public on Thursday after the government learned that CBS News and NBC News were preparing broadcasts based on partial descriptions of its contents. The official would not say when or how American forces had obtained the communication, or whether it was in electronic or printed form. But he said he had "the highest confidence of its authenticity," which he said had been verified by "multiple sources over an extended period of time." The letter outlines what the official described as a comprehensive and chilling strategic vision for Qaeda. It includes a four-stage battle plan, beginning with the American military's expulsion, followed by the establishment of a militant Islamic caliphate across Iraq before moving to Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. The final step would be a battle against Israel. Confirmation of the letter's existence came on a day that President Bush delivered a major speech on terrorism, but the official said the decision to disclose the letter was made independently of the speech. The letter provides the most significant glimpse into the relationship between Mr. Zarqawi, the self-described leader of the group Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, and the original leaders of the terrorist movement since a communication sent by Mr. Zarqawi was intercepted in early 2004. Mr. Zawahiri is considered second only to Osama bin Laden in Al Qaeda's hierarchy, but the letter makes no mention of Mr. bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. Mr. Zarqawi, almost unknown to American intelligence until the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has emerged as by far the most active and dangerous of the Islamic militants waging campaigns against the United States. The letter represents the first clear indication of concern among Qaeda leaders about the tactics used by Mr. Zarqawi and his followers in Iraq, and how these violent methods might undermine popular support for Al Qaeda's cause. The letter states that even Mr. Zarqawi's admirers among Muslim commentators had questioned the wisdom of attacks by the predominantly Sunni Arab insurgents against Iraq's majority Shiite population, and it noted that half the battle against the Americans was played out in the media. In addition, Mr. Zawahiri reminded Mr. Zarqawi that there were other, less grisly methods of killing captives than beheadings, and said execution by gunfire would be sufficient. Although he urged less violent tactics to establish Al Qaeda's goals in Iraq, Mr. Zawahiri reiterated the disdain previously voiced by the Sunni-dominated terrorist organization against Shiites. He accused the Shiites of cooperating with the enemies of Islam and predicted a collision between Sunnis and Shiites in the Sunni-dominated caliphate he wishes to establish. The original caliphs were secular and religious leaders of Islam who succeeded the Prophet Muhammad. The American official said the letter's overall tone was polite, but there was no doubt that Mr. Zawahiri regarded himself as the superior in their relationship. Still, the letter sought a small sum of money as a contribution to Qaeda operations. The official said the letter seemed to suggest that the men were not in close, regular contact. Among other things, Mr. Zawahiri expressed a desire for more detailed information about the state of the insurgency in Iraq, and of its impact on Iraqis and American forces. The official said that he did not believe that Mr. Zawahiri had intended the letter to become public and noted that it included sentiments that had not previously appeared on Qaeda Web sites or other communications from Mr. bin Laden, Mr. Zawahiri or other top leaders. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #8 It's a good jihadi/bad jihadi routine. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-10-07 20:31 |
| #7 Just trying to hit the right audience in the right way. Killing your customers is piss poor PR. |
| Posted by: abu Doyle Dane Burbach 2005-10-07 16:12 |
| #6 "6000-word letter..." Typical of a semi-literate society. Those who can read and write have to show off that ability. Amongst those who can, there is competition to show who is more literate, leading to missives full of flowery literary and historical allusion, but containing very little meat. Ayman al-Zawahiri had to take the time to write so many words, or he'd lose face to a subordinate. And I'm sure our analysts aren't complaining -- lots of information in subconscious choice of allusions, if one's inclined in that direction. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-10-07 12:34 |
| #5 "The official said Mr. Zawahiri also warned that Mr. Zarqawi's forces should concentrate their attacks on Americans rather than on Iraqi civilians, and should refrain from the kind of gruesome beheadings and other executions that have been posted on Qaeda Web sites." Unfortunately, attacks narrowed to Coalition and Iraqi forces are both tougher to execute and generate fewer headlines. First and foremost Al-Qaeda needs newsworthy hits (and lots of them) or the perception will be that they're losing. When that perception takes hold they will lose support in and out of Iraq. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2005-10-07 11:00 |
| #4 "6000-word letter..." The jihadists must have a lot of time to write letters now that the war is not going all that well for them. |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-10-07 10:51 |
| #3 The MSM will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-10-07 10:26 |
| #2 If this is true, how will the MSM handle this. What will they write about if we are found to be winning. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2005-10-07 10:14 |
| #1 Dan what do we make of this letter? |
| Posted by: Grins Sluper5274 2005-10-07 05:34 |