Mullah Krekar

www.aftenposten.no ^ | Inger Anne Olsen

[vioola]

Krekar contradicts his own defense

Mullah Krekar, under arrest in Norway for suspected terror links, represented himself in an Al-Jazeera TV program as leader of the suspected terrorist group Ansar al-Islam just last month. He also confirmed the group was behind a suicide bombing in Northern Iraq last year.

This is how mullah Krekar appeared on the Al-Jazeera program last month. RELATED ARTICLES Debate rages over Krekar in Norway - 09.01.04 Court orders Mullah Krekar's release - 05.01.04 Prosecutor wants Krekar jailed - 05.01.04 Mullah Krekar arrested - 02.01.04 Arabs recruited from Norway to fight in Iraq - 18.12.03 Mullah Krekar and Hagen meet in court - 11.12.03

Krekar's appearance on the TV program left his Norwegian defense attorney with some explaining to do on Friday. Lawyer Brynjar Meling has been trying to get Krekar released from custody in Oslo, vigorously repeating Krekar's earlier claims that he has nothing to do with Ansar al-Islam.

Newspaper Aftenposten reported Friday that in the Al-Jazeera program, broadcast December 2, Krekar appeared as a guerrilla leader. Wearing a head covering and military fatigues, he offered no protest or correction when he was identified several times as zaim, or leader, of Ansar al-Islam.

Moreover, Krekar confirmed in the debate program called Al-Ittijah-al-Muakis that Ansar al-Islam was behind a suicide bombing in Northern Iraq on March 22. Three people were killed in the bombing, and that incident plays a key role in Norwegian prosecutors' charges against him.

Krekar also displayed detailed knowledge of the incident, saying that after "the Americans bombed us in our areas... one of our brothers, one of the martyr candidates, fastened explosives to himself and his car and drove into an American position." Before he left, Krekar added, the suicide bomber "gave USD 5,000 that he had to his brothers and exchanged his new shoes with old ones."

Then he left, continued Krekar, "and detonated the explosives, and in that manner hit five Americans and 19 from the PUK and an Australian journalist who was with the American in a military vehicle."

Krekar took part in the debate program from a TV studio in Oslo. His opponent was Salah Issa, an Egyptian editor and intellectual, who claimed the invasion of Iraq was economically and strategically motivated. Krekar disagreed, claiming the US is conducting a religious war in Iraq. Fully 94 percent of viewers agreed with Krekar in a poll conducted after the program ended.

Krekar denied, meanwhile, in an interview with Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Watan that Ansar al-Islam was behind an attack on the United Nations' headquarters in Basghdad.

Krekar's defense attorney initially refused to comment on the Al-Jazeera broadcast, telling Aftenposten that he was standing by Krekar's claims that he hasn't been the leader of Ansar al-Islam since May 2002.

On Friday morning, however, Meling told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that he would take up the Al-Jazeera interview with his client and was confident he'd be able to explain the contradictory claims

[Former Proud Canadian]

"On Friday morning, however, Meling (the defense attorney) told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) that he would take up the Al-Jazeera interview with his client and was confident he'd be able to explain the contradictory claims."

HAH!

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[Right_Handed_Writer]

Too few people realize just who this guy is. He was mentored by Abdullah Azzam, the same man who taught Osama. He fought with Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. He was the leader of Ansar al-Islam when it changed from Jund al-Islam to Ansar. He collaborated with the Iraqi Mukhabarat.

He IS the Iraqi connection to Al-Qaeda. And here is a very good piece on him:

http://www.ciss.ca/Comment_EnemyofMyEnemy.htm

And it's from the Canadians of all folks...