The Case of Mullah Krekar

STRATFOR ^ | June 15, 2004 2208 GMT

[Axion]

Summary

Norwegian authorities are dropping charges against Mullah Krekar, the founder of Ansar al-Islam, who had been charged with conspiracy to murder his political foes in Iraq. He is to be deported to Iraq after the government is handed over to the Iraqis on June 30.

Analysis

A Norwegian court threw out charges against Mullah Krekar, the founder of militant Islamist group Ansar al-Islam, on June 15, citing insufficient evidence. Krekar had faced charges of conspiring to murder political rivals in Iraq. He has lived in Norway since 2003, despite an expulsion order. Now that he no longer faces trial, he will be deported to Iraq after the June 30 government handover.

When Krekar arrives in Iraq, it is likely that he will be of great interest to the U.S. and Jordanian governments because of his connections with Ansar al-Islam and -- by association -- with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Al-Zarqawi is believed to be one of the top operatives in the guerrilla conflict in Iraq, and he is one of the people most wanted by the United States. He is accused of leading attacks against U.S. interests and contributing to the instability of the Iraqi government. He is also wanted by Jordan, where he was indicted in absentia for the murder of U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) officer Lawrence Foley in October 2002. After the slaying, al-Zarqawi fled to Iraq and sought sanctuary in the mountains of Kurdistan with Ansar al-Islam -- making it a strong possibility that Krekar has ties to the militant, if not actual knowledge of his whereabouts.

Ansar al-Islam was founded by Krekar in 2001 and has evolved into a radical militant group with alleged ties to al Qaeda. Though Krekar is a radical -- he has called Osama bin Laden a "jewel in the crown of the Muslim nation" and referred to U.S. President George W. Bush as a dictator -- he is not necessarily a militant. He seems to fall more into the category of the so-called "Londonistan" radicals like Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad: long on talk, short on action. Krekar's threats and off-the-cuff remarks ultimately are believed to have little substance, which could explain why the Norwegians were unable to make a case against him.

Krekar was linked to al-Zarqawi by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell as early as February 2003, despite claims that Krekar has never seen al-Zarqawi or met him. After being deported from Iran in 2002, Krekar was questioned by FBI agents at the Amsterdam airport but was released. However, it seems likely that with Krekar being shipped back to Iraq -- and no longer under the aegis of the Norwegian courts -- both the United States and Jordan could be eager to find out what he knows about al-Zarqawi. Should he make it onto Iraqi soil without being killed by al-Zarqawi -- possibly to prevent him from revealing the fugitive's whereabouts -- U.S. or Jordanian security forces likely will be waiting to question him before he can disappear back into the mountains of Kurdistan.

[nuconvert]

"He is to be deported to Iraq after the government is handed over to the Iraqis on June 30."

Good. (I think)


Pong

[jess35]

It's just as well he is to be deported. I have a sneaking suspicion that he would have gotten off free and clear.

[Eurotwit]

Thanks for the ping.

I think it would be great if he was deported to the Kurdish authorities for trial (and hanging), but I doubt that is going to happen any time soon. Just look at the UK, they have been trying to thow out Hamza for ages. I think Krekar, unfortunately, will be around in the Norwegian legal system for quite some time.

Perhaps we could get Shabana Rehman to lift him out of the country :-)

Cheers.

[nuconvert]

Perhaps we could get Shabana Rehman to lift him out of the country :-)

LOL - the Rheman Air Lift....I Like it !