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Al-Qaida in Iraq Leader Urges 'Holy War'

The new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq urged Muslims to make the holy month of Ramadan a "month of holy war," in an audiotape posted on Islamic Web site Thursday. He also purportedly said that more than 4,000 foreign fighters have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion.

The man on the tape identified himself as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir _ also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri _ the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, though the voice could not be independently identified. He is believed to have succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who died in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June.

"I congratulate the Muslim nation on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, the month of jihad (holy war). I ask God to make it a month for honor and victory for Muslims," the voice said.

I'm not sure the AP is reporting his statement correctly, but I can't say for sure since I don't know Arabic and haven't seen a translation.

But I'd venture to guess that al-Masri is claiming 4,000 coalition troops have been killed since the invasion (US, UK, Poland, Japan, Italy, Canada, Ukraine, etc).

In any case, al-Masri would not describe jihadis as "foreign fighters" being "killed", but as holy warriors being martyred. And he would need to add a zero to that number to make it close to being a realistic jihadi casualty count.

The past two weeks have been the two most violent weeks in Iraq's recent history bar none. Al Qaeda delivered on the 9/7 threat to make the following 15 days a "kill zone".

They will attempt to deliver on this Ramadan threat as well.

Al-Masri tape first. Then Zawahiri. Then, if successful, UBL.