Al-Qaida-in-Iraq has new leader

[boise1]

(Cairo, Egypt-AP) June 12, 2006 - Al-Qaida in Iraq is naming a successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The group says its new leader is a militant it identifies as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer.

The authenticity of the statement has not been independently confirmed.

The name al-Muhajer in Arabic means "immigrant," suggesting he is not Iraqi by birth.

The statement signed by the group on an Islamic militant Web forum says al-Muhajer is "a beloved brother" with holy war experience and what it terms "a strong footing in knowledge."

Sunday, the organization vowed not to be deterred by al-Zarqawi's death in an airstrike last week and promised "major attacks."

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5018622

Abu-Too?...

[Skink]

1. Probably just responded to our classified ad.

[llmart]

6. LOL

[rocktivity]

7. LOL!!! Remember this thread????

WE found Padilla's Al Qaeda Application, U.S. Says

:rofl:
rocknation

[Doctor_J]

9. 6. If not hired by Al-Queda, would you accept employment

with

a. Evil Empire
b. Castro
c. Hugo Chavez
d. Ku Klux Klan

Seriesly, has anyone done an "Al-Queda Application" knock-off?

[rocktivity]

13. One Al-Qeada Job Application, coming right up!

(Courtesy of Blah3.com)



:rofl:
rocknation

[americanstranger]

16. Heh. An oldie but a goodie...

I just re-posted that on B3 today, in honor of the new Al-q boss.

- as

[Lance_Boyle]

2. I'm truly shocked!

Spin the cylinder, cock the hammer and play again, war guys.

[leQ]

3. i think the author of this piece is ignorant

i'll bet there's a whole slew of al-Muhajers in iraq.

[Igel]

4. Isn't al-muhajer also the word for one of those

that went with Muhammed from Mecca to Medina?

As in the British Islamist group al-Mujahiroun? (Constituting a sort of pun.)

This, of course, was expected by all concerned (and to believe otherwise is to put on blinders). But time will tell. Lots of groups with new leaders have lost importance: the new leader either wasn't acknowledged by all members of the group, his leadership was disputed by others who wanted the slot, or he simply didn't have the skills.

[rocktivity]

5. Zarqawi wasn't the OLD leader

Indeed, Al-Qaeda thought so much of him they disowned him, and they're probably the ones who ratted him out!

:headbang:
rocknation

[daleo]

11. It may have been an insurgent version of Apocalypse Now

Zarqawi's methods had become "unsound", so a Willard in the form of an informant to the U.S. military was dispatched. It even ended the same - warplanes and airstrikes.

Feel free to mentally substitute the relevant Heart of Darkness references.

[Doctor_J]

8. Damn. I thought Al-Q would either

a. scatter to the winds, defeated and demoralized,
b. turn themselves in and throw themselves on the mercy of *, or
c. start waving American flags, worshipping * for freeing them from Zarqawi

who would have thought they'd carry on?

:sarcasm:

[sofa king]

10. Thoughts on the New Kid on the Block

So his name is Abu Hamza al Mujahir--another pseudonym, no doubt. I don't know a damned thing about Arabic but I think that translates roughly into "Father of Hamza, who ain't from here."

Just a guess, but "Father of Hamza" might refer to this ugly fellow, recently imprisoned in London after generally acting like an asshole and (supposedly) being found with a sort of terrorists' handbook.

"Mujaher" may mean "immigrant," but it sure looks similar to the root in "Mujahedeen," which means "strugglers." Perhaps a reference to our old buddies who fought our proxy war in Afghanistan against the Soviets? I don't know, but I'm sure Juan Cole will have a breakdown on it soon.

Couched in the announcement is also a threat before the fact, which suggests there will be a typical al Qaeda telegraphed punch very soon.

The name of course could be an empty robe for the moment, but since the international press is reporting as fact that the tip on Zarqawi's whereabouts came from al Qaeda itself, it makes sense that they already had a replacement in mind, and perhaps a little thank you note to go with it for us doing their wet work for them.

This is just one more reason why terrorism disgusts me to no end. In fighting it, one gets dragged into the ambiguity of the whole thing, and eventually the terrorists and those who fight them start to resemble one another more than they differ.

[uppityperson]

12. I didn't know they had an old leader or any leader.

Who is "Al-Qaida in Iraq"?

[pinniped]

18. Some stupid group they concocted to blame shit on.

Is there an al-Qaeda in Sudan?

Al-Qaeda in Iran?

Al-Qaeda in Libya?

Al-Qaeda in Nigeria?

Al-Qaeda in Somalia?

Al-Qaeda in North Korea?

Since they tell us they're here and out to get us, I suppose there's also an Al-Qaea in US branch.:eyes:

Fucking stupid.

[Tight_rope]

14. LMBAO...

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. When Zarqawi was killed he was another #2 guy.

Damn if we just can't seem to find #1!

[pinniped]

17. Why the fuck do they even bother?

Oh ya, the sheep need feed.

The authenticity of the statement has not been independently confirmed.


13. Propaganda must be carefully timed.

a. The communication must reach the audience ahead of competing propaganda.

b. A propaganda campaign must begin at the optimum moment

c. A propaganda theme must be repeated, but not beyond some point of diminishing effectiveness

[Bhaisahab]

19. Al Qaeda in Iraq names Zarqawi replacement (successor)

<<HERE'S THE NEW BOGEYMAN YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR>>

A previously unknown militant will succeed terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda in Iraq announced Monday.

In a web statement posted just days after Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. air raid, al Qaeda named Abu Hamza al-Muhajer as "successor in the leadership of the organization."

The statement, which could not be independently verified, said Muhajer was "a beloved brother with jihadi experience and a strong footing in knowledge."

MORE AT
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060609/abu_musab_060612/20060612?hub=CTVNewsAt11

[Journeyman]

20. Can someone explain why a criminal terrorist organization. . .

would issue a press release naming their new leader. They know who their leader is, and anyone associated with them would know who he is, but why would they feel the need to identify him for the authorities to target? Fear of the organization is sufficient -- everyone knows what they're capable of doing -- so why not leave leadership an amorphous entity, a Hydra-headed body that can't be targeted singularly. Seems that would be more effective, especially as this "leader" -- unlike, say, Tito or Ho -- isn't being established as someone people will turn to for political guidance.

Very odd, to say the least.

[Bhaisahab]

21. It may be foolish for terrists to publicly mark out a new leader

But the American people need a new name to fear
:tinfoilhat:

[Journeyman]

23. 'Tis true. . . but it turns the BushCo lie so much quicker. . .

Maybe this time more will notice. . .

[ThsMchneKilsFascists]

24. odd I agree

It's also odd that these 'terrorist' websites are allowed to remain up.
Surely there are experts in net attacks that could be pressed into service to take these types of sites down.
It's also odd that the corporate media feels the need to act as the terrorists' parrot/messenger by repeating and further distributing their messages.

*edit for syntax

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

22. its....

Donald Rumsfeld!

[LibDemAlways]

27. Couldn't the pentagon take a little more care in

coming up with bogus names for these scary terrorists. A poster the other day pointed out that "Abu" is a nickname that means "Dad." Thus "Abu Hamza" means "Hamza's Dad, the immigrant (al-Muhajer)" just as "Abu Musab" means "Musab's Dad from the Jordanian city of Zarqa (al-Zarqawi)."

Maybe we should start calling the chimp, "Jenna's Dad from Crawford" or is that "Abu Jenna al-Crawford"?

[No Passaran]

25. my little theory of who it is

I knew I read that name somwhere

http://www.nato.int/sfor/indexinf/119/p08a/t0108a.htm

this guy was the leader of mujahedins in bosnia during the war. he's not an iraqi and he has a lot of fighting experience.

[ninkasi]

26. Yeah, but

did they use Diebold to tally the votes? Is there a paper trail? Otherwise, all of the votes to install the new leader might be as useless as our votes in 2000, and 2004. I don't believe ANYTHING that comes from this administration. They lie just for practice.