Posted on 09/29/2006 6:23:07 PM PDT by neverdem
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Al-Qaida in Iraq's leader, in a chilling audiotape released Thursday, called for nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war and urged insurgents to kidnap Westerners so they could be traded for a blind Egyptian sheik who is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
The fugitive chief of the terrorist group said experts in the fields of "chemistry, physics, electronics, media and all other sciences -- especially nuclear scientists and explosives experts" -- should join his group's jihad, or holy war, against the West.
"We are in dire need of you," said the speaker, who identified himself as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir -- also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri. "The field of jihad can satisfy your scientific ambitions, and the large American bases (in Iraq) are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty."
The 20-minute audio recording was posted to a Web site that frequently airs al-Qaida messages. The voice could not be independently identified, but it was thought to be al-Masri's. He is believed to have succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who died in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June, as head of the al-Qaida-linked organization.
Thursday's message focused on Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, 68, an Egyptian cleric who was convicted in 1995 of seditious conspiracy for his advisory role in a plot to assassinate Egypt's president and blow up five New York City landmarks, including the United Nations. Abdel-Rahman is considered the leader of Egyptian Islamic militants.
"I appeal to every holy warrior in the land of Iraq to exert all efforts in this holy month so that God may enable us to capture some of the Western dogs to swap them with our sheik and get him out of his dark prison," said al-Masri, who is also Egyptian. He also said more than 4,000 foreign militants have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 -- the first known statement from the insurgents about their death toll.
It was unclear why al-Masri would advertise the loss of the group's foreign fighters, but martyrdom is revered among Islamic fundamentalists, and could be used as a recruiting tool. Analysts said the announcement was likely a boast aimed at drumming up support.
The audio message came on a day that saw the killings of at least 23 people and the discovery in the capital of 40 apparent victims of sectarian death squads. To stem the violence, the government announced it will soon lock down traffic access to Baghdad.
Thursday's attacks in the capital included a car bombing that killed five and wounded 34 near a restaurant in the city's center, and a suicide car bombing on a military checkpoint that killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded 10.
And the best part is, if the jihadists are caught, the Democrats will provide them with US Civil rights and ACLU lawyers! Sheesh, I wonder what the Al-Qaeda signing bonus is..
This makes a prima facia case for not imprisoning any terrorists, ever.
"The field of Jihad.."
Now that's just too funny right there. I have a Masters in Physics and I am hoping to explore an opportunity in the field, of say, Jihad.
"Al-Qaida in Iraq's leader... called for nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war"
Hellllooooo, they already have, they're in Iran.
But I thought this was a civil war.
LOL
ROTFL!
You are saying you'd turn down that postgrad internship there?
I wonder what it is per credit hour LOL
Need that Slim Pickens image riding down with a nuke, only instead, with Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman strapped on it, right at the bad guys..
lol
Is it just me, or is this nutbag beginning to sound really shrill?
I can't help getting the feeling that his audience is dwindling.
Not that there aren't still a lot of dangerous moozies out there, but that there aren't as many listening to the droolings spewing out of this moron's hummus hole.
Whoops. I thought this was the Zawahiri video... I take his & Osama's tapes differently. I question how easily they can communicate and dictate to Iraq's Al Qaeda branch. Zawahiri just went on and on about Bush, the Pope, Darfur... So far, I have not seen anything about Mr Peepers (AKA Zawahiri ) mentioning nuke scientists.
Let's see...that would be 4000 x 72 = 288,000 Virgins.
Yikes! Apparently, no shortage there.
They continue to be obsessed with this Rahman guy. Why don't we just kill him already? Surely someone can be paid to shank him.
The field of jihad? Do they have to have a major in jihad with a minor in suicide bombing? Did he give his address so the job applicants would know where to send their resumes? I wonder if they offer a health package and have an employee of the month program. This is very short on details.
nuclear jihad bump
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