Today's Al Qaeda Tape: Ayman al Zawahiri and the "Islamic Group"

Laura Mansfield Strategic Translations ^ | August 5, 2006 | Ayman al Zawahiri

[Calpernia]

Today's announcement by Al Qaeda second in command Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri that the multinational terror conglomerate has been joined by a portion of the Egyptian group "Jamaa Islamiya" is both puzzling and not surprising.

It is unclear how large the faction is from Jamaa Islamiya that is aligning itself with Al Qaeda. Neither Zawahiri nor Mohamed Khalil Hukayma, who made the announcement for Jamaa Islamiya, was clear about how many members were involved in the merger, although Zawahiri did refer to of the large crowd and the majority of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya, in the following statement:

Abu Jihad Al-Masri, Mohamed Khalil Hukayma who assures the Muslim nation in this message the steadfastness of the large crowd and the majority of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya are on the true path of Jihad against the enemies of Islam, crusaders, Jews and their treacherous agents

Ayman al Zawahiri made his debut into the international terrorism arena as a member of Jamaa Islamiya. He served time in prison in Cairo for his role in the group's assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

In his book "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner", Zawahiri provides a comprehensive eyewitness history account of the group and its activities.

In today's tape, Zawahiri addresses the 1996 decision by Jamaa Islamiya to cease operations in Egypt, saying:

A faction of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya was influenced by unknown pressures. They went along with the Egyptian and American governments in their claims deviating from the true path of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya's beliefs that are based on God's spoken word & the prophet's traditions.

In "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner", Zawahiri writes of the beginning of the no-violence initiative:

The beginnings of the no-violence initiative, or the halting of operations, began with an appeal made by Khalid Ibrahim, leader of the Islamic Group's Aswan branch, who was a defendant in the Islamic Group case in Aswan in April 1996. He notes that the Islamic Group made another appeal in July 1997 in the name of the Islamic Group's leaders who are still serving jail terms at the Turrah and al-Aqrab prisons. It called on the Islamic Group's members inside Egypt and abroad to halt military operations and to stop issuing statements inciting such operations.

One of the most intriguing portions of the book is where Zawahiri describes his split with the group, disagreeing with the cessation of Jamaa Islamiya's activities in Egypt. He describes the pressures more thoroughly in "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner", and makes clear his disagreement with the agreement:

Sayyid Qutb, the most prominent theoretician of the fundamentalist movements, said: "Brother, push ahead, for your path is soaked in blood. Do not turn your head right or left but look only up to heaven."

The objective has been somewhat shaken by the fact that the Islamic Group was dragged into a stance where it halted armed jihadist action under the name of (the initiative to halt military operations). This initiative has had serious repercussions. Because all persons, those who are and those who are not connected with the issue, have begun debating the initiative, I have decided to discuss it with some frankness and in some detail. I apologize to my brothers in the Islamic Group-whom I respect and love-for disagreeing with their view and criticizing their opinions. However, in my efforts to properly interpret shari'ah, I find that doing what is right is dearer to me than these brothers' love.

Both Zawahiri and Hekayma cite Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel Rahman as one of the leaders of the faction that is joining al Qaeda. This isn't surprising. Zawahiri says in his book that Abdel Rahman initially supported the cessation of activities, but later changed his mind. In "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner", Zawahiri writes:

in June 2000 Dr. Omar Abdel Rahman issued a statement from his jail that was relayed by his lawyer Lynn Stewart in which she said that Shaykh Omar was withdrawing his support for the no-violence initiative because it had not brought any positive results for the Islamists.

Zawahiri continues to write:

Dr. Omar Abdel Rahman's clear assessment of the situation is an eloquent reply to the third statement issued by the brother leaders in the Turrah jail in which they said that they "cling to their position on halting armed operations and any announcements that incite armed operations inside Egypt and abroad." They noted that this "announcement is not the product of negotiation with the security services or other government departments but is in line with Islamic shari'ah and serves the interests of the Muslims."

It appears that by joining forces with Al Qaeda formally and officially, that Jamaa Islamiya has ended it's ceasefire with the Egyptian government.

The threats of attacks against the United States and United States interests abroad by Jamaa Islamiya must also be considered.

In "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner", Zawahiri describes a plot to assassinate the delegation of United States Presidents attending Anwar Sadat's funeral:

Attacking the US Presidents

During Mujahideen's Funeral

Isam thought about attempting to hit the funeral of Anwar al-Mujahideen, including the (former) Presidents of the United States and the leaders of Israel. He also thought about seizing some tanks and using them to hit a vital target or attack Mujahideen's funeral.

However, the resources available were short of his ambitions and it was too late. Our meetings with Abbud al Zumur ended with an advice to him to try to leave Egypt at this stage to continue the attacks at another stage.

However, Abbud turned down our advice because he had promised the brothers to continue the battle. In prison, he admitted to me that he had been convinced by our opinion, but his promise to the brothers compelled him to turn it down.

Isam had a theory about jihad action that he tried hard to find the means to implement, but destiny would not permit him.

This theory continues to represent a suitable practical option, if the requirements for it are available, including:

· The security measures taken by our regimes are such that the only way to confront them is to deploy an armed force with a considerable firepower and armor enough to enforce its control of the capital, wage battles, and remain steadfast for one or two weeks.

· The Islamic movement possesses thousands of youths who are racing toward martyrdom, but these youths are not trained and lack combat experience.

· The Islamic movement's infiltration of the Army will always be countered by purging operations. It is difficult for the Islamic movement to recruit a large number of officers in the Army without getting discovered, in view of the tight security measures within the ranks of the Armed Forces.

· Isam's idea was to train hundreds of Muslim youths on weapons and how to use and drive tanks, even if it was a preliminary training.

· Isam looked lightly upon the police forces, the Central Security Forces, and the forces affiliated with the Interior Ministry.

· Isam criticized the Muslim youths for being preoccupied by the police and attacks on the police and for failing to examine the military situation from an analytical and practical perspective based on data.

· Isam had much confidence in the young Muslim trainees. He used to say: The police forces have the upper hand against us because our brothers are not trained. If we train them and give them some weapons, nobody could stand against them.

This theory continued to be the subject of long discussions between us before and in prison. Many of his expectations proved to be valid, I must say

.

His plan was a daring plan based on careful reconnaissance and scientific analysis of the realistic information. It suited Isam's personality, which had the same elements: Bravery, military knowledge, and hard work. This theory involveed many details and various aspects, but I just talked about its pivotal idea in passing.

Zawahiri lists the leaders of Jamaa Islamiya who are joining Al Qaeda:

But God willing, the principal core of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya headed by the honorable sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman & Sheikh Rifaii Taha may God release them from their captivity.

Zawahiri describes Rifa'i Taha as the "Military Commander" of Jamaa Islamiya. He writes:

Brother Rifa'i Ahmad Taha also commented on the initiative. He rejected it when it was first made and later repeated his rejection after Shaykh Umar announced that he was withdrawing his support for it. He told Al-Sharq al-Awsat:

"Regarding the case of Umar Abd-al-Rahman, the Islamic Group's spiritual leader who is detained in a US jail, the policy of talking and making threats is over. We will address the United States in a language that it understands. We will break his shackles and release him from captivity. I believe that the time to do so is drawing near."

Asked if the Islamic Group might revise its past errors, Rifa'i Taha said: "In answer to your question-if I have understood it correctly--if the Islamic Group has altered its methods and is revising its past errors, my answer is this: The Islamic Group does not believe that it made errors in the past whether in its call to jihad, in its promotion of virtue and prohibition of vice, or in its call to God's religion."

It is indisputable that Ayman Zawahiri just reiterated the call to Egyptians loyal to Jamaa Islamiya to join the Islamic ummah in its jihad.

What remains to be seen is how many of Jamaa Islamiya's followers will heed this call.

Laura Mansfield is the author of "His Own Words: Translation and Analysis of the Writings of Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri", which includes a translation of Zawahiri's book Knights Under the Prophet's Banner. The book is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1847288804/002-5912291-5086445?redirect=true

[Calpernia]

New tape translation

[Calpernia]

Related:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1614192/posts
Egypt Frees 950 Gamaa Islamiya Prisoners

[GodGunsGuts]

To understand how all this works, read the following VERY CAREFULLY:

We Are The Next Target

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1666922/posts

Terrorists in Muslim Disguise

http://www.worldthreats.com/russia_former_ussr/Terrorists%20In%20Muslim%20Diguise.htm

Russia's Game in the Middle East

http://www.anti-communistanalyst.com/Russiasgame.htm

The Roots of Islamic Terrorism

http://www.cc.jyu.fi/~aphamala/pe/issue5/roots.htm

[Defender2]

Typical long winded tripe from animalistic sub human head chopping off super evil islamofascists terrorists garbage pieces.

Nothing new here.

Thanks for the post, Calpernia

D2

[Calpernia]

>>>>Typical long winded tripe from animalistic sub human head chopping off super evil islamofascists terrorists garbage pieces.

Oh my. You forgot to breath while saying that. Too many syllables :))

[Calpernia]

>>>>Russia's Game in the Middle East

Tidbit, did you know Hitler's Islamic name was Abu Ali?

[Defender2]

:-)


D2

[GodGunsGuts]

==Tidbit, did you know Hitler's Islamic name was Abu Ali?

Yes, I have read that. Did you know that the only political movement further to the Left than Nazism is Communism?

[GodGunsGuts]

PS Did you know Putin was a Colonel in the KGB? Did you know that Putin's Russia (and Red China) is still bent on Israel's utter and total destruction???

[Howie66]

Straight out of the DNC "Talking Points", no doubt

[Defender2]

Yeah, today's demoCOMMIEcRAT islamofascists terrorists supporting party.

:-)

D2

[GodGunsGuts]

PS Did you know that the Soviet Union once formed a pact with the Nazis, known as the Hitler-Stalin Pact?

[Howie66]

PS:

I REALLY DO HATE LIBERALS/SOCIALISTS with each and every breath that I take.

[Defender2]

#14. Me TOO!!!!

:-)

D2

[Calpernia]

>>>Did you know that the only political movement further to the Left than Nazism is Communism?

There is a difference?

The Victory of Socialism in the Soviet Union (1925-1941 )

[GodGunsGuts]

==I REALLY DO HATE LIBERALS/SOCIALISTS with each and every breath that I take.

Then please, take lots of breaths, we need all the help we can get to defeat international socialism.

[Calpernia]

>>>Did you know that the Soviet Union once formed a pact with the Nazis, known as the Hitler-Stalin Pact?

[GodGunsGuts]

==There is a difference?

Yes, there is. It is a matter of degrees. But most importantly...one is alive and well, and one is dead.

[Calpernia]

Too late.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563271/posts
Healthy People 2010