July 04, 2005

U.S. Forces Nab Two More al Qaeda in Iraq Leaders

Not bad for a 'quagmire'. ADNKI:

The doctor of one of al-Qaeda's groups in Iraq was arrested by US troops during a raid carried out on June 21 in Baghdad, the US military has revealed in a statement published on the website 'Voice of Iraq'. Muhsin Abu Sayf, defined in the statement as "the doctor who treated the hostages kidnapped by the terror group led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other bands."

Abu Sayf is said to speak English well and was therefore given the task of interrogating the hostages. According to the statement "he worked alongside Abu Aqil, a local al-Qaeda leader arrested several weeks ago, who led the kidnapping activities in Baghdad."

Abu Aqil, whose real name is Sami Amar Hamid Mahmoud, has overseen the kidnappings of numerous Iraqis and foreigners in the Baghdad area. Arrested on June 26, he used kidnapping to fund al-Qaeda's activities, and the doctor, Abu Sayf, is said to have played a central role in the hostage operation, collecting the ransom money and delivering it to the terror group.

Albabwa:
Meanwhile, US forces arrested last month an Al-Qaeda member in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, a statement for the Multi-National Forces said Monday.

The US forces arrested Tunisian national, Emad Nasser Ahmad, known as Abu Hamza during a raid in Mosul, the statement added.

According to the statement, Abu Hamza is responsible for bringing to Iraq Arab "militants" and sheltering over 100 suicide bombers to carry out their attacks in Mosul.

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Egyptian Ambassador Taken Hostage; Israel Blamed

Ihab-sharif.jpg
The first Arab ambassador to Iraq is abducted and taken hostage. The types of demands made for his release will depend on which group took the Egyptian ambassador.

The fact that it was the Egyptian ambassador increases the probability that the terrorist group responsible is a nationalist one rather than a Salafist Islamist one. Why? Because Egypt is run by an Arab Socialist party with strong ties to the Baathism of Saddam Hussein and Syria.

It should be remembered that the short-lived great Baathist experiment of a unified greater Arab nation was the unification of Syria and Egypt under the banner of the UAR between 1958-1961. That Egypt would be the first Arab nation to upgrade its diplomatic mission in Iraq to sending a full ambassador may be seen as a betrayal of one Arab Socialist state against another.

If such is the case, there is a chance that Ihab Sherif will be found alive. On the other hand, if one of the Islamist terror organizations such as Ansar al-Sunna (not likely since the group rarely operates in Baghdad), al Qaeda in Iraq (possibly), or The Islamic Army in Iraq (possibly) then there is close to zero chance for his survival. In either case, we should see a hostage video soon.

Of course, to the warped minds in the Islamic lands this could only be the work of the Zionists.

Islam Online:

The abduction of the head of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in Baghdad sends a strong message from Iraqi resistance groups to Arab countries set to follow the Egyptian lead by sending ambassadors to occupied Iraq, Egyptian experts have said.

“Sending an ambassador to an unstable Iraq was a wrong decision that prompted resistance groups to kidnap Ihab El-Sherif as a warning shot for willing Arab countries,” Abdallah El-Ashaal, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, told IslamOnline.net.

Egyptian and Iraqi officials said Monday that Kidnappers who seized Sherif on Saturday, July 2, have not yet contacted authorities or presented any demands.

The envoy, a father of two, was cornered by gunmen in cars while on a short trip to buy a newspaper near his home and had not been heard from since.

His white four-wheel vehicle was found undamaged near a newspaper stand...

Iraq announced last week that Egypt would become the first Arab country to give its Baghdad envoy the full title of ambassador since US forces toppled Saddam Hussein more than two years ago....

But former Egyptian ambassador to Afghanistan Ahmad El-Ghamrawi offered a different version of the abduction.

“Iraq has become an open arena for intelligence services and there is a strong possibility that Sherif was kidnapped by a foreign body to pit the Egyptians and the Iraqis against one another,” he told IOL.

He said SherifÂ’s latest post as Egyptian charges dÂ’affaires in Tel Aviv substantiate the theory that he might have been abducted by the Israeli intelligence services Mossad.

“Sherif has come to know a lot about Israel,” Ghamrawi said.

“Israel also wants to tarnish the image of the Iraqi resistance in the eyes of the Egyptian people,” he added.

The retired diplomat did not rule out a possible collaboration between the Mossad and the US occupation authorities to deprive the Iraqi resistance of the sympathy and solidarity of the Egyptian people.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:36 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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July 01, 2005

Howie's news roundup

So here are the things Howie found today. Submitted for your reading pleasure. And I wish people would stop calling with problems that aren't.

Iranian VP voice of '79 kidnappers.

Bush asks for fairness on Nominee to be named as early as next week.

Also we see that a team of special forces is still missing and the Taliban claims to hold at least one. This link may die quickly.

Iran progressing backwards??

A quick reversion of hard won social freedoms seems to be occuring right after that country's election.

full Story here.

David McCullough's 1776 exerpts. David has a new book out and they are reading exerpts each morning on NPR. Sounds pretty good. 102 Minutes on radio reader so far is pretty good. I was wondering if any of Osama's friends made the book.

Apparently Nancy Pelosi has upset several boggers while this is a bit stale it may still make for a good argument.

Captains quarters has a few things to say to start us off.

Full transcript of Ms. Pelosi's interview

Congress has cut funding for developers who use the recent Supreme Court Decision to push residents from homes. Like they will need it and this does not help small enterprise as far as I can tell.

Well that call I got sure put a cramp in my plan for deep editorial opinions. You may thank them below.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone and watch those fingies. But I like things that go boom.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin is on effin fire today!!

Good news, civilian casualties DOWN in Iraq.

Posted by: Howie at 03:05 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Rusty appears to still be down ill

Well I've emaled Rusty again this AM. No response as of yet but maybe he will stir himself up and drop us a note later. Guest Posters have at it. I have maybe a few little items to post later. I'll try not to repeat my "OH MY GOD ITS DOWN" and post like a wild man. I think that response is due to 20 years working in DP 24/7. I've got that latest innovation a cell, phone provided by my fine employer that keeps me always on. It's just the culture. Remember the guy in Jurrasic Park trying to hack that morons password after he took the whole park down. Well that's me complete with mountian of cigarette buts. I run on Caffiene, Sugar, and cigarettes. So I get a bit wound up at times. Well except I'm not black or tall or good looking but you get the idea. If you readers have a subject think would make a good friday argument thread drop me a line.

UPDATE FROM RUSTY:

Bring out your dead!

I'm not dead yet.......

Posted by: Howie at 09:56 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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