... the current version of al-Qaeda in Iraq, just as blood-thirsty and well-beloved as the original...
, an al-Qaeda-linked group fighting in Iraq and Syria.
The photograph, the first of its kind published by an official source, provides a rare glimpse of the man leading a myrmidon group blamed for killing countless Iraqis, as well as fighting the regime of Syrian
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Lord of the Baath...
The black-and-white picture shows a balding man with a beard wearing a suit and tie.
"Intelligence forces have obtained a recent portrait of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and they also got three handwritten letters," said the statement accompanying the photograph, published on the ministry's website.
"The security forces call on the people to provide any information that helps lead to the arrest of this criminal."
Storied Baghdad
...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate...
i's group has been blamed for a litany of attacks across Iraq in recent months, and ISIL has been involved in a deadly standoff with government forces in western Iraq's Anbar province.
In Syria, ISIL has also been fighting not only forces loyal to Assad but also fellow rebel groups. The ISIL leader has, however, reached out to other rebel groups in a bid to curb the infighting.
ISIL, which was previously the Islamic State of Iraq, was formed in April 2013 when Storied Baghdadi sought to merge his group with Al-Nusra Front, but they rejected the alliance and pledged allegiance directly to al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-
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...
Since then, the two groups have functioned separately.