Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Islamic State of Iraq asks former Iraqi army to Islamic State
Insurgency
(SITE) The Islamic State of Iraq addressed members of the former Iraqi army in a statement issued on Monday, March 5, 2007, reminding them of the appeal from the group’s Emir, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, to join the Islamic State. The message stems from a conference held on Sunday by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with commanders of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s army, urging them to join his national reconciliation project. This call, the Islamic State believes, is the result of incapability of the Iraqi government and its “American masters” to defeat the jihad. The group also warns the army officers from pursuing the same path as Sunni “betrayers” Salam Zakam and Tariq al-Hashemi, stating: “For those who sold their religion and their Ummah for a very cheap price and agreed to follow in Maliki’s footsteps, we have nothing for them but the cutting sword.”
The appeal by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi to which the statement refers is from his audio message of December 22, 2006, “Truth has Come and Falsehood has Vanished”. Here, Baghdadi addressed officers between the rank of lieutenant and major in the former Iraqi army, instructing them that to join the Islamic State they would have to meet certain requirements, including: being able to recite at least three chapters from the Qur’an and to pass an exam in Islamic doctrine by a Shari’a Committee. Baghdadi states: “This is to make sure that he is free from his unbelief with Ba’ath and its devil”.
The appeal by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi to which the statement refers is from his audio message of December 22, 2006, “Truth has Come and Falsehood has Vanished”. Here, Baghdadi addressed officers between the rank of lieutenant and major in the former Iraqi army, instructing them that to join the Islamic State they would have to meet certain requirements, including: being able to recite at least three chapters from the Qur’an and to pass an exam in Islamic doctrine by a Shari’a Committee. Baghdadi states: “This is to make sure that he is free from his unbelief with Ba’ath and its devil”.
Labels: Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, former Iraqi Army, Islamic State of Iraq
