The Mujhajir / al-Masri Audiotape – 4,000 Foreign Fighters Killed

Al-Qaeda in Iraq’s commander says 4,000 foreign fighters have been killed since 2003, calls for release of the Blind Sheikh, and encourages an influx of bomb makers and nuclear scientists.

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Banner announcing the release of the al-Mujahir audiotape, from the al-Bouraq Forum

Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the new leader of al Qaeda in Iraq’s Mujahideen Shura, has released an audiotape. In the tape, Al-Muhajir reveals much about his identity, as well as the status of Iraq in the international jihad.

First, the audio provides new information concerning the identity of Abu Hamza al-Muhajir. Counterterrorism expert Evan Kohlmann has stated that the military has no proof that Abu Hamza al-Muhajir (the traveler) and Abu Ayyub al-Masri (the Egyptian) are one in the same. However, in al-Muhajir’s latest speech, he openly calls for the release of the “Blind Sheikh,” Omar Abdul Rahman, who is currently in a U.S. prison for issuing a fatwa encouraging acts of violence against US civilian targets. “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-Muhajir.

The Blind Sheikh is the leader of the Egyptian Islamic Group (Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya), and his release is a cause celebre in Egyptian terrorist circles. Abu Ayyub al-Masri is a leader in EIJ. After the death of Zarqawi, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is also EIJ, wanted to place someone in command of Iraq’s Mujahideen Shura who was a known quantity and loyal to central leadership, according to an American intelligence source. The military maintains to this day that al-Muhajir and al-Masri are one in th same, and based on the excellent intelligence that led to the death or capture of six senior Sunni insurgent and al Qaeda leaders over the past month, the military very likely has a good picture of who’s who in al Qaeda.

Also of major importance in the tape is the revelation that thousands of foreign al Qaeda have been killed since 2003. “The blood has been spilled in Iraq of more than 4,000 foreigners who came to fight,” said Mujahir. “The Arabic word he used indicated he was speaking about foreigners who joined the insurgency in Iraq, not coalition troops,” notes the Associated Press. Osama bin Laden has called Iraq “the epicenter of jihad,” and the influx of foreign al Qaeda into the country certainly supports this statement. As we have repeatedly stated, Iraqi is both a breeding ground and a magnet for terrorism.

Mujahir also calls for Islamist scientists to ply their crafts in Iraq. “The field of jihad (holy war) can satisfy your scientific ambitions, and the large American bases (in Iraq) are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty, as they call them,” said Mujahir.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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5 Comments

  • Wally Lind says:

    This actually sounds rather desperate, doesn’t it? It’s nearly impossible for the average news consumer, like me, to get a feel for what is actually going on in Iraq. But one thin that seems to come through is that the day-to-day function of the national and local governemnts in Iraq, is not greatly disrupted by these terrorist and secular attacks.
    If that is so, then I can see why Al Qaeda is getting desperate. They are having an effect on journalists and remote “experts” only. They know they are losing, because they are having niether a governmental or economic effect. Our casualties are very low, and Iraqi security forces are growing in size and effectiveness. The Coalition operations in Baghdad are having the desired effect.

  • Al Qaeda Issues New Audio Tape

    HT Wizbang, Powerline, The Fourthrail

    A new AQ audio tape released. Wizbang and Powerline have interesting takes. Sounds like AQ may be getting a little desparate!

    RBT

    See Wizbang

  • AQ Leader In Iraq: 4,000 Jihadis Killed

    As I mentioned this morning, the leader of AQ in Iraq Abu Hamza al-Muhajir–also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri–urged fellow jihadis in Iraq to take foreigners hostage in a new audio tape. Now, more about that tape is out: In…

  • Scott Malensek says:

    Let’s see, the latest claim from Al Queda in Iraq (look away now if you believe Iraq has nothing to do with fighting Al Queda and/or is not part of the war on terror)-Al Queda in Iraq’s latest announcement includes the announcement that 4000 AQ or AQ affilates have been killed in Iraq (which of course is not part of the war on terror, right?). That’s good news-well, unless you oppose the war in Iraq which apparently has killed at least 4000 Al Queda. I say at least because it’s incredible to believe for a moment that they would exaggerate higher the number of killed rather than downplay their losses. Almost everyone agrees that Al Queda in Iraq’s losses are probably higher than that-much higher.
    But wait!
    That Sen Intel Com Phase II report CONCLUDED that Al Queda and Saddam would never work together…because…Saddam said so. uh-huh. It also said that there were no Jihadis in Iraq before the invasion-even though the Iraqi Perspectives Report described hundreds to thousands of foreigners training for attacks in and out of Iraq.
    So how could there be 4000 dead Al Queda in Iraq Al Queda would never work with Saddam and vice versa?
    Gee, maybe it’s time to review that Phase II report and see how conclusive the conclusions really were ’cause 4000 enemy dead seems awfully coincidental, and if OIF drew in 4000+ AQ to be killed, the clearly the war’s had tremendous benefit.
    http://www.scottmalensek.com/PhaseIIrebuttalrpt.pdf
    AT LEAST 4000+ dead Al Queda in Iraq
    That’s not at all the disconnect from the global war on terror that Rep Pelosi and others have described to me.

  • The Mujhajir / al-Masri Audiotape – 4,000 Foreign Fighters Killed

    Courtesy of The Fourth Rail:
    Al-Qaeda in Iraq’s commander says 4,000 foreign fighters have been killed since 2003, calls for release of the Blind Sheikh, influx of bomb makers and nuclear scientists
    Banner announcing the release of the al-Mu…

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