Al-Qaida confirms deaths of leaders
Source: Agencies |
April 26, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN al-Qaida front group in Iraq has confirmed the killing of its two top leaders but vowed in a statement that its members would continue to fight.
"After a long journey filled with sacrifices and fighting falsehood and its representatives, two knights have dismounted to join the group of martyrs," the statement said. "We announce that the Muslim nation has lost two of the leaders of jihad."
The statement by the Islamic State of Iraq was posted on a militant Website yesterday.
It comes a week after Iraqi and United States security forces raided a safe house near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, killing Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri.
The Islamic State of Iraq is an offshoot of al-Qaida in Iraq. Al-Baghdadi was its self-described leader and was so elusive that at times US officials questioned whether he was a real person or merely a composite of a terrorist to give an Iraqi face to an organization led primarily by foreigners.
Al-Masri, a weapons expert who trained in al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan in the 1990s, was the shadowy national leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
Their deaths were triumphantly announced last Monday by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
But four days later, officials believe, al-Qaida struck back, bombing mosques, shops and the office of an influential Shiite cleric to kill 72 in Iraq's bloodiest day this year.
The new statement does not mention the Friday bombings, and no group has claimed responsibility for them yet.
"After a long journey filled with sacrifices and fighting falsehood and its representatives, two knights have dismounted to join the group of martyrs," the statement said. "We announce that the Muslim nation has lost two of the leaders of jihad."
The statement by the Islamic State of Iraq was posted on a militant Website yesterday.
It comes a week after Iraqi and United States security forces raided a safe house near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, killing Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri.
The Islamic State of Iraq is an offshoot of al-Qaida in Iraq. Al-Baghdadi was its self-described leader and was so elusive that at times US officials questioned whether he was a real person or merely a composite of a terrorist to give an Iraqi face to an organization led primarily by foreigners.
Al-Masri, a weapons expert who trained in al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan in the 1990s, was the shadowy national leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
Their deaths were triumphantly announced last Monday by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
But four days later, officials believe, al-Qaida struck back, bombing mosques, shops and the office of an influential Shiite cleric to kill 72 in Iraq's bloodiest day this year.
The new statement does not mention the Friday bombings, and no group has claimed responsibility for them yet.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
