The hell that is Iraq: Al Qaeda in Iraq bends its knees to the Islamic State group
MESOP : GREAT ARTICLE BY OUR FRIEND SHERI LAIZER – Editor’s Note: Sheri Laizer, a Middle East specialist and well known commentator on the Kurdish issue.
Part II – WHO’S WHO IN THE Al Qaeda In Iraq (AQI) – IS FRANCHISE (NB: This listmay be updated withevents. It is not intended to be exhaustive of all the personages serving in IS)
KEY BAATHISTS INVOLVED IN JIHADIST INSURGENCY
- SAMIR ABD MUHAMMAD AL-KHLIFAWI (AKA HAJI BAKR) c.1958-64 -January 2014, IRAQ)KILLED
Killed in battle in his safe house in Tal Rifaat, Syria, in January 2014 by Syrian rebel forces.
A former Colonel in the Intelligence service of Saddam Hussein’s Air Defense Corps, he worked on weapons development. Hilfawi had long been active behind the scenes working with ISIS. Ex-members revealed him to be one of the group’s top officials.
Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi journalist and specialist in Islamist groups has a cousin that had served with Khilfawi who knew he had been stationed at Habbaniya Air ase Iraqi intelligence revealed that Khilfawi later joined AQI and participated in the Sunni insurgency after regime change.
Months after Khilfawi was killed in 2014, Der Spiegel gained “exclusive access” to a reported 31 pages of blueprint compiled by Khilfawi for the organisation of a future state.
- IZZAT IBRAHIM AL DOURI (1.07.1942, Ad-Dawr, Saladin Province, IRAQ – DEATH UNCONFIRMED after fighting in April 2015).
Leader of the Iraqi Ba’ath Party
Vice President of Iraq
Deputy Secretary of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch
Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council
Leader of the Naqshbandi Army after 2003 invasion of Iraq (2006-2015)
Leader of the Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation
(Inter alia)
Allegedly involved in supply of chemical weapons to Al Nusra Front in Syria.“Prepared by former Iraqi Military Industries Brig. Gen. Adnan al-Dulaimi and supplied to Baath-affiliates in the Jabhat al-Nusra Front in Aleppo “and through Turkey’s cooperation, conveyed through the Turkish town of Antakya in the contested province of Hatay (seized from Syria in 1939 after a popular referendum held in Turkey. (Syria has not renounced its claim to Hatay, which is still included in Syrian territory on its maps).
Chemical mortar shells fired at Khan al-Assal from Kafr Dael held by al-Nusra in north west Aleppo, contained a chemical substance linked with the Iraqi Ba’ath regime – Sarin nerve gas.Harvard’s Sussex University programme reports further usage in a 2013 paper on the use of chemical weapons in Syria as also by the government of Bashar al-Assad.
The Naqshbandi Army, spearheaded by al-Douri, took part in the offensive that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in June 2014 and also in Mosul but ISIS is considered to have been the ‘driving force.’
Of ISIS, al-Douri stated “We do cross paths … but what stops us from meeting is that even if we wanted to, they would not accept because they consider the Ba’ath infidels”. (A middleman reportedly communicated between the two).
Al Douri claimed recently that ISIS was detaining a third of the Ba’ath’s command. He called for the “Iraqis in Al-Anbar and Karbala to strongly fight the Persian ‘criminal plan’, which aims at swallowing Iraq.” He stressed that Iran is the main player in Iraq and it is working through the “Al-Quds Army.“
Although al-Douri was reported to have been killed in fighting north of Baghdad on 19 April 2015 his death has been denied by his supporters.
On 15 May 2015, pro-Baath TV channels, Al-Faris Al-Arabi and Al-Ezz released a two-hour audio recording of al-Douri in which he refers to events that have happened since his rumoured death,notably the deployment of Shi’a militia in the Nukhayb region. (The long message was preceded by a concise rendition broadcast by Al-Tagheer, in Jordan considered close to the Ba’ath Party (but formally denying any link).)
“Nukhayb represents a strategic position for Iran inside Iraq, and one of the aims of occupying Nukhayb is to open a front against Saudi Arabia, and connect with the fronts in Syria and Lebanon after the northern passages were closed…
Izzat Ibrahim Al Douri therefore remains at large until proven otherwise. No comparative DNA could be located to test the body found earlier, said to have been al-Douri.
- ABU MUSLIM AL-TURKMANI (AKA FADIL AHMAD ABDALLAH AL HAYYALI and HAJJI MUTAZZ) (1950 (s?)– 18.08.2015, Tel Afar, Ninevah, IRAQ) KILLED
Of Turkmen origin, as by his name, Al Turkmani, was a lieutenant colonel in the Iraqi military’s intelligence unit, Istikhbarat (Directorate of General Military Intelligence), who also spent time as a Special Forces officer in Special Republican Guard until the US-led invasion of Iraq.
He was decommissioned after US forces spread through Iraq and joined the Sunni insurgency to battle the ‘occupiers’.
He was later incarcerated in the prison run by the Americans named ‘Camp Bucca’.
He went onto become Second in Command of ISIL, and top aide to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
In a June 2015 article published by the N.Y Times, al-Turkmani was said to have been the head of the Islamic State’s military council. He reportedly led the council of six to nine military commanders who directed the Islamic State’s military strategy, according to Laith Alkhouri, a senior analyst at Flashpoint Global Partners.
Governor of IS held territories in Iraq.
- ABU ALI AL-ANBARI (1960s (?) Mosul, Ninevah, IRAQ)
Abu Ali al-Anbari is of Turkmen origin from Mosul. Former Major General in the Iraqi Army under the Baath Party.
Became an active member of Ansar al-Islam after US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. Reportedly joined AQI under Al Zarqawi 2004/2005
Went on to become al-Baghdadi’s deputy in Syria and governor for the territories held there by ISIS and therefore Second-in-command.
Identified as head of all ISIS military and non-military operations within Syria. Member of the IS group’s Shura Council. Head of the Security Council. Appointed Abu Yahya al Iraqi, “who accompanies Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at all times”, to act as a conduit between them.
Resided in Raqqa, Syria, the capital of IS State from where he directs operations coordinating ISIS’s twelve Syria-based governors controlling finance, arms, and legal matters as well as the duties of the other councils.
Also directs the fighting against Syrian rebels opposed to IS and attacks on Syrian Government positions.
AQI SPLIT WITH AL ZARQAWI
- ABU MOS’AB AL ZARQAWI (30.10. 1966 – 7.6.2006, Zarqa, JORDAN) KILLED
Al Zarqawi led AQI between 2002-2006. He operated in Jordan between 2002-2005 before moving into Iraq, including Iraqi Kurdistan, after leaving Afghanistan where he joined fighting Soviet forces in the 1980s. Based himself in Iran after return to Jordan where he helped set up Jund al-Sham but came to the adverse attention of the Jordanian state.
Imprisoned for seven years in Jordan in 1992 where he became radicalized.
Released on a general amnesty and sought to revive Jund al-Sham. After a plot was discovered he fled to Pakistan but his visa revoked by Pakistani authorities.
Crossed the Pakistan border into Afghanistan and made first contacts with the leadership of al-Qaeda.
Asked Bin Laden for assistance and money to set up his own training camp in Herat, near the Iranian border.
“With al-Qaeda’s support, the camp opened and soon served as a magnet for Jordanian militants. At a time when al-Qaeda was immersed in planning the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, Zarqawi had other targets in mind. In mid-2001, al-Zarqawi returned to Kandahar to ask al-Qaeda for $35,000 for his fighters to infiltrate Israel.
Moved freely throughout the wider region, including to a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon where he recruited Jihadists to his network.
May 2004 inaugurated kidnappings and beheadings in Iraq, first decapitating Nicholas Berg, 26, a businessman from Pennsylvania, and posting the footage online. Later circulated videos of the decapitations of two other Americans,Eugene “Jack” Armstrong, 52 and Jack Hensley, 48.
Killed in a U.S. airstrike on 7 June 2006.
- ABU AYYUB AL MASRI (Born 1968-18.04.2010, EGYPT) KILLED
Joined the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
Became leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq from 2006-2010 until he was killed in 2010.
A senior aide to al-Zarqawi
After al-Zarqawi was killed on 12 June 2006, AQI’s website announced that al-Masri had been appointed the new leader.
Killed during a raid on his house on 18 April 2010.
- AYMAN AL ZAWAHIRI (19.06.1951 – EGYPT) KILLED (?)
Former eye surgeon involved in founding Egyptia Islamic Jihad group and went on to become leader of Al Qaeda on 16 June 2011.
“Zawahiri was already the group’s chief ideologue and was believed by some experts to have been the “operational brains” behind the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.
Number Two “behind Bin Laden – in the 22 “most wanted terrorists” list announced by the US government in 2001 and continues to have a $25m (£16m) bounty on his head. “
In June 2013 Zawahiri called for Islamic State (IS) to leave Syria and instead focus on Iraq.
In February 2014 al-Qaeda severed all ties with IS.
- ABU OMAR AL-BAGHDADI (Hamid Dawood Mohammed Khalil al Zawi) Born (1947 (?) – died 18.03.2010) killed in Tikrit, Iraq when still leader of AQI DECEASED
Former officer in the Iraqi Army based in Haditha, “dismissed because of his extremism,” according to Haditha Chief of police on al Arabiya television.
1985, joined Salafists and became a theoretician of adverse interest to the Ba’ath regime.
1987, left Iraq for Afghanistan.
1991, allegedly returned to Iraq during uprisings against Saddam in the north and south but did not make this known until 2004.
Went on to join AQI under Zarqawi.
Became Emir of the Mujahideen Shura Council (January-October 2006)
Became leader of AQI between October 2006 – April 2010.
Speech of 2014 called for further slaughter.
18.03.2010 he was killed in Tikrit while still leader of AQI
SUCCEEDED BY:
- ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI (AKA Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai, Born 28.07.1971, SAMARRA, IRAQ – WOUNDED
Formerly local imam in Samarra
Held prisoner by US forces in Iraq.
Went on to become an AQI official.
On 29 June 2014, ISIL announced the establishment of a global Caliphate. AlBaghdadi assumed the title Caliph and his group was renamed Islamic State.
18 March 2015, seriously injured during a coalition air strike on al-Baaj in Nineveh governorate near the border with Syria.
22 April, al-Baghdadi still unable to resume daily control of IS. Iraqi government sources reported that Abu Ala al-Afri had been installed as acting leader while Baghdadi recovered.
Al-Baghdadi continues to release messages late into 2015 (See Appendix section). On 14 May 2015, IS released an audio message it said was from al-Baghdadi where he urged Muslims to join the ‘Islamic State’ and Jihad in Iraq and Syria claiming also that Islam was never a religion of peace but “the religion of fighting.”
- ABU ALAA AL AFRI (Abdul Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli) (1957 – 13.05.2015(?) Mosul, IRAQ,KILLED (UNCONFIRMED)
Acting leader of ISIS after Al-Baghdadi was wounded in March 2015
Al-Afri was reported dead following a Coalition air strike on a mosque in Tel Afar on 13 May 2015 but although the premises were destroyed no body was identified.
Former deputy of Al Zarqawi. “It is believed that al-Afri, was Osama bin Laden’s preferred option to become emir of al-Qaeda in Iraq, (later to become IS), if Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was killed. Rival contestant for the position, Abu Ayyub al-Masri was killed in 2010.
- ABU MOHAMMED AL-ADNANI (1977- Binnish, Aleppo, SYRIA)
Official Spokesman for IS
Delivered the declaration of the creation of a “caliphate” in June 2014.
- ABU ARKAN AL-AMERI (DOB and PLACE OF BIRTH UNKNOWN)
Head of the Shura Council, selected by al-Baghdadi.
See useful diagrams at the following link:
THE NEW ‘ISLAMIC STATE’/DAESH STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
In 2014, after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi tried to merge Jabhat al-Nusra with ISIS, he argued with Al Qaeda headed by Ayman al-Zawahiri who later disavowed IS entirely as part of Al Qaeda. The leadership of al-Nusra opposed joining ISIS. This resulted in combat between the two groups in Syria.
Under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, IS established a structural hierarchy with lines of control.
Abu Muslim al-Turkmani (Fadil Ahmad Abdallah al Hayyali), became responsible for overseeing IS activity in Iraq until he was killed in 2015, and Abu Ali al-Anbari, became Baghdadi’s deputy in Syria. Both men belonged to the Shura Council, IS’s ten-member advisory body, headed by Abu Arkan al-Ameri. (See diagram of key personnel and organisational structure reproduced on IB Times).
Authors Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan examine ISIS’s methods and strategies, as well as the organisation’s ideology alongside evolving plans for Baghdad in their book, ISIS, Inside the Army of Terror (Regan Arts, February 2015). Of the structure of ISI on the ground in Baghdad, they observe: ISI “divided Baghdad and the belts into six zones, five centred around the city. Each zone was ruled by its own local emir.”
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF IS
Areas held by IS are divided into administrative units called “wilayat” (‘states’ or provinces). Currently parts of sixteen different wilayats are under either the full or partial control of IS in both Iraq and Syria.
IRAQ
Parts of: the state of Diyala; ‘the state of the south’; the state of Salah-al-din; the state of Anbar; Tamim (the state of Kirkuk); the state of Nineveh, the state of northern Baghdad.
SYRIA
Parts of: the state of Homs; the state of Aleppo; the state of al-Kher (Deir Ez-Zor); the state of al-Barakah (Hasakah); the state of al-Badiah (in the desert areas); the state of al-Raqqah; the state of Hama; and the state of Damascus.
The Security Council
IS’s most formidable council.
Commanded by Abu Ali al-Anbari, al-Baghdadi’s deputy in Syria.
Responsible for security and intelligence including security for the Caliph, as well as his residences, appointments and movements… implementation of his decisions and how well the provincial governors implement his orders. The council oversees the operations of security commanders in provinces, sectors and cities, and the implementation of judicial rulings and punishments, as well as the infiltration of rival organisations and protecting IS from infiltration.
It controls special units, such as suicide bombers and undercover agents in coordination with the military council.
The council has units operating the mail and coordinating communications across sectors in every province. Special brigades carry out political assassinations, kidnappings and extortion/collecting revenues.
Other councils include:
The Shari’a Council
The Shura Council
The Military Council
Sharia Commissions
IS SHARI’A LEADERS (MUFTI)
1.“ABU BAKR” OMAR AL-QAHTANI (‘Abu Bakr’ coined in emulation of al-Baghdadi), formerly Abu Hafs (SAUDI )
Video footage shows him teaching Muslims how to swear allegiance to the ‘caliph’, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.
- TURKI AL-BENALI (Turki bin Mubarak bin Abdullah; other noms de guerre include Abu Dergham and Abu Hammam al-Athari, September 1984, BAHRAIN)
A Salafist who briefly studied at the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Dubai.
Expelled for his “corrupt beliefs and manipulation of Emirati youths.”
Deported to Bahrain. Went on to Beirut where he enrolled at the Imam Ouzai Institute and made links with several Salafi clerics. Made use of contacts to recruit jihadists to fight in Syria.
OSMAN AL-NAZEH AL-ASIRI (SAUDI).
Attained Master’s degree in Islamic jurisprudence from King Khalid University in Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Went on to fight in Syria in early 2013. Helped limit defections after the Islamic Front, al-Nusra Front, and their allies declared war on IS.
APPENDIX I
DETAILS FROM AUDIO SPEECH DELIVERED BY ABU BAKR AL BAGHDADI on 13 November 2014 via Al Furqan
Highlights:
Jihad is an obligation for every Muslim
The Islamic State will fight till the last man
The US led coalition war on the Islamic State (the ‘crusade’) is a failure, soon ‘The Jews and Crusaders’ will be forced to send ground forces. al-Baghdadi refers to the recent decision of President Obama to send in another 1 500 troops in support, which points out the audio-message was very recently recorded.
‘The march of the Mujahidin will continue until they reach Rome …’ Hereby al-Baghdadi refers to what can be seen as the symbolic capital of the ‘Crusader-empire’, the seat of Christendom.
al-Baghdadi mentions the recent pledges of allegiance from Yemen, Egypt, Algeria and Libya. He explicitly accepts all new pledges of allegiance and names these countries new provinces of the Islamic State (note: Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis from Egypt already started calling themselves Sinai Province)
Perhaps the most significant part is where he openly threatens Saudi-Arabia. First the Mujahidin must clear the Arabic Peninsula of all Shi’a, then with the Al-Sa’ud family and their soldiers and in the end the ‘Crusader-forces’.
al-Baghdadi addresses the Mujahidin in Yemen, calling upon them to ‘be harsh against the Houthi rafidah, for they are kuffar apostates’.
He addresses the Mujahidin in the Maghreb, calling upon them to take the land back from the secularists.
He demands his organisation to further recruit fighters and ‘erupt volcanoes of Jihad everywhere’ ولو كره الكافرون
APPENDIX II
33-minute speech message delivered on 14 May 2015 on al Furqan after al-Baghdadi’salleged death just before IS overran the historic ruins at Palmyra, Syria
The orator urges:
“There is no excuse for any Muslim not to migrate to the Islamic State… joining [its fight] is a duty on every Muslim. We are calling on you either to join or carry weapons [to fight] wherever you are.”
“Islam was never a religion of peace. Islam is the religion of fighting. No-one should believe that the war that we are waging is the war of the Islamic State. It is the war of all Muslims, but the Islamic State is spearheading it. It is the war of Muslims against infidels.”
See key locations held by IS at the current date.
Sheri Laizer, a Middle East and North African expert specialist and well known commentator on the Kurdish issue. She is a contributing writer for Ekurd.net. More about Sheri Laizer see below.
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