Al-Jazeera Gets Soldier Attacks Claim

AP ^ | June 25, 2003

[Prodigal Son]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera on Thursday reported it had received a statement and videotape from an Iraqi resistance group that claimed responsibility for attacks on American forces and threatened more.

It was believed to be the first such claim, and the first time a group said it had organized the increasingly bloody offensive.

The Pentagon repeatedly has said the attacks - that have killed at least 18 American lives since May 1 when President Bush declared the major fighting over - were not the work of any organized resistance. Six British soldiers were killed by an angry mob in the southern part of the country on Tuesday.

Thursday night the Pentagon said it had not seen the al-Jazeera report and would have no comment.

In a news broadcast early Thursday, the al-Jazeera announcer read from a statement by a previously unheard of group calling itself the Mujahedeen of the Victorious Sect. The group warned Iraqis away from "places where the American forces are deployed" and promised more "painful attacks against the occupation forces in the near future."

The station also aired a video it said it received from the group, showing parts of a Baghdad neighborhood and what the announcer said was an attack by the group against American military vehicles.

The announcer said a wing of the group called the Martyr Khattab Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack shown in the video. The group's statement did not say when the operation took place or whether there were any casualties.

The station did not say how or when it received the statement and the video. Al-Jazeera officials were not immediately available for comment.

The pan-Arab station, which was often criticized by U.S. and British officials for its coverage of the war on Iraq, has also received statements and videos from al-Qaida operatives, including its leader, Osama bin Laden.

[Angelus Errare]

Martyr Khattab would be a reference to Amir ibn al-Khattab, an al-Qaeda leader in Chechnya.

http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=52051&list=/ho\

The leader of the al-Qaeda fighters in Iraq is Abu Iyad.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,366217,00.html

He was last seen in the Pankisi Gorge.

[Jacob Kell]

"Martyr Khattab would be a reference to Amir ibn al-Khattab, an al-Qaeda leader in Chechnya. The leader of the al-Qaeda fighters in Iraq is Abu Iyad. He was last seen in the Pankisi Gorge."

Coincidence? I don't think so. I wonder if there are any Chechens involved?

[Dog]

Look what Angelus just posted..

The announcer said a wing of the group called the Martyr Khattab Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack shown in the video.

Al-Qaeda!

Martyr Khattab would be a reference to Amir ibn al-Khattab, an al-Qaeda leader in Chechnya.

[Angelus Errare]

Well, here's a charming thought:

Chechens are Caucasians, so if they put on those captured US uniforms they can probably pass themselves as US soldiers and then carry out a suicide bombing inside or near a military compound without anyone realizing what's going on until it's too late.

[hchutch]

Lovely.

[Dog]

Blonde haired.... blue eyed jihadist..

Wonderful.

[Dog Gone]

Iraq is the perfect place for al-Qaida to cause trouble for us. There's no problem blending in, and it's a target-rich environment.

It's also suicidal for them, but that is obviously no deterrent.

[Angelus Errare]

I should mention that Khattab was iced by the Russians last February, hence the "martyr" designation before his name. His successor is none other than Abu Walid, who was one of the brains behind last October's Moscow hostage seige.

[MEG33]

There can be no link to AlQueda.That's what the Dems and talking heads said.

[Jacob Kell]

Actually, I think that Chechens are dark-haired and eyed.

[Prodigal Son]

He was last seen in the Pankisi Gorge.

Is that Chechnya or Georgia?

[Angelus Errare]

Northern Georgia, which is basically HQ for the Chechen "rebellion."

Ask Destro, he can probably hook you up with mountains of information on it.

[AntiGuv]

Nope. The Chechens can be both, but frequently have fair features (I've been to Chechnya, BTW).

[Prodigal Son]

Northern Georgia, which is basically HQ for the Chechen "rebellion."

Thanks. Reason I asked was because "Time.com" always freezes up my browser.

[Jacob Kell]

By fair features, what do you mean? WHich is more common, blonde or brown hair? Blyue or brown eyes?

[Jacob Kell]

By fair features, what do you mean? WHich is more common, blonde or brown hair? Blue or brown eyes?

[swarthyguy]

Well, I hope the US exercises "restraint" in its response.

We do not wish to exacerbate the cycle of violence.

[AntiGuv]

In my observation, some variation of brown is most common (anywhere from to very dark) with darker shades of eye more of the norm. However, I've seen them anywhere from true blond/blue eyed all the way through black hair/dark brown eyes. The latter is relatively uncommon. In Moscow, you cannot much distinguish them from any other given Russian. Of course, Moscow has quite a variety of ethnicities wandering around but it would be rather odd to confuse a Chechen for, say, one of the Central Asian ethnic Turkomans.

[AntiGuv]

That first parenthetical should read: "anywhere from lightishbrown to very dark" - near black.