Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
has ordered the disbanding of the main jihadist faction in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, in an audio message aired on Al-Jazeera
... an Arab news network headquartered in Qatar, notorious for carrying al-Qaeda press releases. The name means the Peninsula,as in the Arabian Peninsula. In recent years it has settled in to become slightly less biased than MSNBC, in about the same category as BBC or CBS...
Friday.
The tape confirmed a letter put out by Al-Jazeera in June, claimed to have been written by Zawahiri and addressed to the leaders of Al-Qaeda factions in both countries.
The head of Al-Qaeda also stressed that the Al-Nusra Front was the branch of the global jihadist group in Syria.
"The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is to be abolished, while the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) remains functioning," he said.
Zawahiri said the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, "has made a mistake by establishing the Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant without asking for our permission, or even informing us."
It was not immediately clear when he made the remarks.
Meanwhile,
...back at the wine tasting, Vince was about to start tasting his third quart...
Zawahiri added that the leader of the Al-Nusra Front in Syria, Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani, "has made a mistake by announcing his rejection of the ISIL, without taking our permission, or even informing us."
He said the rule of ISI will be confined to Iraq, while the Al-Nusra Front in Syria will be "an independent branch of Al-Qaeda that reports to the general command."
Zawahiri also ordered the two branches to support each other whenever needed and possible.
An Al-Jazeera front man said the "recording has just emerged, and it confirms the authenticity of the letter" broadcast by Al-Jazeera previously.
Opposition activists have blamed the ISIL for an escalating abuse against Syrian rebels and civilians, including kidnappings and public executions in areas under the control of the Death Eater group.
Zawahiri chided Islamists from both sides for unauthorized attacks on Mohammedans.
"Both sides, and all the mujahedeen (Islamist fighters) should observe the sanctity of Mohammedans, in respecting their blood, families and property, and should not attack a Mohammedan without a court order," he said.