Terrorism: al-Zarqawi Said To Have New Command Structure

The organisation of al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian miltiant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has adopted a new command structure, according to Salafite sources quoted by the Arabic news portal Wifaq.

The new line-up is said to include a sort of shadow government at the head of the organisation mandated to direct all the activities of the group. Al-Zarqawi has been flanked by six 'ministers' and by a chief of staff who will coordinate all the operational brigades, the sources said.

In a document entitled "The strategy of al-Qaeda in Iraq", the group outlines a new decentralised and flexible organisational structure.

In the new hierarchy al-Zarqawi's number two would be Abu Abdel Rahman al-Iraqi who also has the role of 'interior minister' and oversees the internal affairs of the organisation. He has also been tasked with overseeing the direct links between al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Iraqi and other Arab volunteers who enrol in al-Qaeda.

The 'minister of defence' is Abu Asir, whose role is to infiltrate militants into the Iraqi security forces and army, as well as direct the suicide bomber brigade which al-Zarqawi considers central.

A 'religious affairs' post has been given to Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Baghdadi, who issues fatwas and other religious edicts as well as overseeing the spiritual life of the group.

The crucial role of 'information minister', overseeing Internet statements and working to attract recuits via the Internet, has been given to Abu Maysira al-Iraqi.

This recently in:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Interior Ministry forces have captured a senior aide to al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi state television said on Monday.

Iraqiya named the man as Abu Farouq and said he was captured with five others in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of the capital.

It said Abu Farouq al-Suri, previously unknown to the media, was captured by the Wolf Brigade, one of several counter-insurgency units operating within the Shi'ite-run Interior Ministry but accused by Sunnis of targeting civilians in their community.

The word Suri is Arabic for Syrian, indicating that the captured man may have come from Iraq's western neighbor.

U.S. military spokespeople were unaware of the capture.

U.S. and Iraqi forces often report the capture of senior al Qaeda operatives in Iraq.

Iraqi intelligence officials have said Zarqawi's center of operations appeared to move last Autumn from the western Anbar province to the religiously mixed eastern province of Diyala.

Nationalist Sunni insurgents in Anbar had said they were planning to set up a militia partly to fight al Qaeda and its network of foreign fighters.

A most interesting analysis by Mohammed at ITM. He is getting better all the time. Little hand wriging of lately just some very insightfull observations.
So I don't forget. If his words on Sistani's ninitial call for calm are accurate, then it would appear Sistani does not fit the profile I have harped on for a year and a half.
That being said. Time will surely show us his true intentions. In essence the write makes a further point already pretty well addressed by some of us, that the golden dump was blown by the sunni side, and zman is a Salafist. And clearly we know zman is one of the major players in breaking up Iraq for an eventual Caliph state down the pike.
But I for one will hot haggle over the prospects of who has the highest probability of doing the deed. It could have been a mix of Ansar al-Islam, other radical religious groups, working with zman foreign element, and with the aid of the Saddamist and or Persians (Sadrist).
What is more important to me from this article is that the grand ayatollah may end up being much more sinister then I for one have understood. Obviously, my opinions where that he was just a wise old holy man that wanted the best for all Iraqi with of course emphasise upon his Shia followers. Perhaps it will turn out that he is as guilty as anyone within the clerical establishments in undermining a democratic national government from coming into existence. I fully admit I have argued with those that have not had good opinions of him. And so be it. Let the cards fall where they may.
Many key points made by Mohammed could be disussed in detail , without perhaps reaching a final consensus being reached on any given point.
But clearly unless I missread, he appears to indicate his hope, based on first hand observations and the obviouse status of being a native, that the government at this point are aware that they must band together and put a muzzle on all religious factions, as well as the active militias.
In so doing, they would fulfill what a government is for. And if successfull, further remove a number of terms in the long equation that continue to represent reasons for civil unrest to occure. It always goes back to people of often humble origin being stired up and out of fear of being branded infidels with possible retributions against them, or simply taking the cleric's word as accurate must obey the call to fight or at least participate in angry mob demonstrations.
These clerics across the whole spectrum must along with their militias be made to stop their obviouse antics. The Iraqi constitution has sufficient articles dealing with insurection, sedition, civil unrest etc., to at this point give the government the proper authority to take the required steps to shut this whole mess down.
They really have little option at this point. Their black limos will go up in smoke if they do not act as one.
One thing is I may no longer speak about the need for Sistani to muzzle the fatboy. Perhaps the fatboy is really just carrying out the plan Sistani would have succeed. But I must be carefull. For that is based on the analysis of one Iraqi observing what he believes Sistani's true intentions are. This whole scenario is a like a Duncan yoyo.

Basically, Sistani and Sadr have supported the political process because because it helps them politically to do so. They don't want a fullscale civil war because that would hurt them. However, the Shia clergy is still willing to support violence when it suits their interests.

The militias of the Shia clergy were behind the attacks on the Sunnis in order to put more political pressure on the US to give them more power so they can put in a pro-Iranian Interior and Denfense Minister. Basically, what they are trying to pretend is Iraqi Shia are at wits end and if you don't give us what we want there will be civil war.

Elrod a poster on ITM said this and I am in total agreement with it.

The Shia, especially SCIRI but also the "non-partisan" followers of Sistani have patiently accepted the violence from Sunni extremists for three years because they felt that a civil war before this point would derail their chances for taking over the government. Now that the UIA has won a near majority there is little reason to hold back anymore. Instigating violence allows them to destroy the Sunnis once and for all. The next thing the Shia will do is ask the Americans to leave. The Shia leadership despises Khalilzad for preventing Jabr and the Badr Corps from carrying out atrocities against Sunni civilians. Without the Americans there, the Sunnis will be defenseless, except for their own takfiri extremists and Saddamist insurgents. The Shia evidently feel they can win a civil war right now.

Elrod. Hey where is Jake. Most all we read other then the sometime rather ridiculus, are in play. I continue to trust for the most part what ITM's Omar and Mohammed voice. In principle we get a birds eye view, and their ramblings often show a sharp eye from a political perspective. And Omar had been to London, during those constitutional drafts etc.. So they are no dimwits.
I continue to think great pressures are now upon the whole top leadership to deliver a solution. Perhaps I am deceived and they really don't give two beans as to the final outcome.
Or perhaps their political leanings outweigh their statemenship abilities to keep ideology subordinate to critical goverance during critical junctures in time.
"The Minister of Interior right now is run by Iranians that want to murder Shia.". I think you meant to say the Interior Minister Bayan Jabr, sanctions the killings of Sunni Iraqis.
In any case. As both of us have championed Allawi for the Interior or Military ministry posts, one thing is for certain. These clowns had better become unified soon. As we are aware, the Iraqi people keep waiting for a government to be formally elected in for four years that is going to remove the insurgency and get the country moving ahead economically.
Regardless of their personal feelings about Khalilzad, they are fools if they think the US is just going to leave.
We have no option but to stay the duration. I am amazed at their thick headed camel humping antics at this point. Perhaps in the real reality they are all a bunch of dimwitted Arabs that so lack the required skills to participate in western institutional concepts, that this has all been a charade of sorts. Then I step back and say nah. Obviously time shall exposed their capabilites to operate a government for all the people. I hope it proves to our general satisfication. To many brave US troops have sacrificed to much already as many pointed out over these past few years, for them to act like a bunch of democrates and republicans trying to gain political dominance at critical times of national stress. They must unite or nothing for the better will change.

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