[nwctwx]

In first videotape: Zarqawi slams US for waging ”crusader” war



An Islamic Web site on Tuesday posted a rare video showing al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who accused the West and the United States of waging a "crusader" war. In the video, the first of the Jordan-born militant, he said that Islamic Jihad warriors were standing firm in the war. "Your mujahideen sons were able to confront the most ferocious of crusader campaigns on an Islamic state. They have stood in the face of this onslaught for three years," Zarqawi said on the video.

"When the crusader enemy entered Iraq, he intended to control the Islamic nation and supported the Zionist state," said Zarqawi.

In the past, al-Zarqawi has made statements only through audiotapes posted on the Web.

[nwctwx]

Zarqawi Releases Video Tape

By Bill Roggio

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda's commander in Iraq, has released "the first [videotape] to contain a 'message'... U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News." This is his first video without a mask and directly posted on internet, not released through Al Jazeera. Zarqawi "needed" to be seen.

The full transcript is not yet available, but MSNBC provides an excerpt:

"Your mujahideen sons were able to confront the most ferocious of crusader campaigns on a Muslim state. They have stood in the face of this onslaught for three years."

Walid Phares comments at MSNBC on Zarqawi's videotape - The decision on Iraq's new PM is obviously not what Zarqawi wanted... this is the third event in 3 days and linked strategically if not logistically.

Zarqawi's tape follows yesterday's multiple bombings of a scubadiving resort in Dahab, Egypt, and this weekend's release "State of Jihad" audiotape from Osama bin Laden.

April 25, 2006 01:39 PM   Link

[all4one]

Many times here at TM we have pondered the meanings of the images used with these tapes. The positioning of items, hand movements, etc. It strikes me that the green canvas looking, pocketed garment on the front of his body could indicate the type of garment they would use when strapping bombs to their bodies. IMHO, this in coordination with the OBL tape, recent bombings, Iran rumblings...indicates things being kicked-up another notch. Extra prayers going out for our troops.