Posted on 09/13/2004 4:20:30 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
Members of Shura Council of Mujahedeen show US army’s remote-controlled drone that they shot down in Fallujah, Iraq, on Sunday. (AP Photo)
US military has reported no such loss near the embattled Iraqi city.
“In proud Fallujah, thanks be to God, a spying American plane was shot down,'' said a statement signed by the Tawhid and Jihad group and posted on the Internet on Monday. The message's authenticity could not be confirmed, but it appeared on a Website known for carrying statements by Islamic militant groups.
Tawhid and Jihad is linked to the al-Qaeda terror network and led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. It claimed responsibility for the series of attacks on US and Iraqi government targets on Sunday, one of the heaviest days of fighting in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein last year.
On Sunday, a previously unknown group, the Shura Council of the Mujahedeen (holy warriors) in Iraq, claimed to have shot down a US. Marine drone near Fallujah in a video tape broadcast on Al-Arabiya satellite television.
Neither claim said when the drone was downed.
The US military has not reported the loss of any drone in Iraq in recent days. But Associated Press Television News filmed people dancing in Fallujah's streets on Sunday, holding what appeared to be pieces of an aircraft bearing the word “Marines.''
The US military did not provide any information.
In its Monday statement, Tawhid and Jihad boasted that it fired about 400 rockets at 50 targets on Sunday, when at least 60 people died in Iraq – 37 in Baghdad alone.
Some of the casualties were inflicted when a US helicopter fired on a crowd cheering around a disabled US armoured vehicle in Baghdad.
“For the first time, there was no failure in the firing or targeting of any rocket, which is a precedent, thanks be only to God,'' the message said.
The statement hailed Sunday's offensive as a “blessed battle'' that “humiliated the infidels.'' It took responsibility for attacks in Fallujah and Ramadi, two cities west of Baghdad.
Tawhid and Jihad, which means monotheism and holy war, has been at the forefront of the opposition to the U.S.-led forces in Iraq and has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and beheading of several foreigners.
US authorities consider its leader, al-Zarqawi, to be an ally of al-Qaida commander Osama bin Laden but say he runs his own terrorist operation.
thats qualifies as just damn lol
Gosh, for a moment I thought they'd hit one of these.
The drone carry messages in both Arabic and English. There is a reward for their return to a nominated Coalition camp. A few weeks ago a US Army Raven mini-UAV was pictured in the hands of the terrorists in Najaf. The last thing that is needed would be for a child to come across a drone/UAV that is booby trapped.
They should have a second transmitter to lock on for occassions like that.
I'd rather it would have a tracking/homing device so we could target a 2000lb "surprise" gift to them while their filming their propoganda piece.
The bottom image is a US Army Raven mini-UAV. The battery pack has been removed/missing from its receptacle on the side.
Is that photo real? I have never seen one of those, Cool looking.
Later "star n' bar" (46 on?) the rectangle out lined by the darker has an extra stripe in the middle… (to look like stripe on the flag).. They may have changed it lately but it is not the normal "star n' bar"… just odd
take it back......the photos lower down in the post show the center red stripe in the bar
Yeah, the only thing seems to be missing is them giving gang hand signs.
In any event, lets hope this thing has an active GPS chip in it.
No, unfortunately it's a movie prop. Would be cool to fly Stealth form flattops.
yep, an active GPS with a transmitter. A beacon, so to speak.
Like my dad said, "What you don't know won't hurt you - it will kill you."
Ignorance carries a high price.
Since when does the AP care about getting their stories right?
Programmed thugs, along with their evil programmers, don't have a chance against free fighting men.
LOL! I hope these guys don't show the photos to their boss. He'll want an explanation as to why he bothered giving them all that weaponry to run around and shoot at toy planes!
Tactical UAVs for reconnaissance and surveillance are pretty small. The Pointer and Dragon UAV have wingspans of 9' an 11' respectively.
There was a "concept" paper a few years back about T-UAVs about the size of a cigarette pack.
"Fish On" comes to mind here....And catch and release is so pre 9/11...
Let'em have it boys!
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