.Former Regime Said at Core of Insurgency
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The Iraqi government's list of the 41 most wanted fugitives suggests that former members of Saddam Hussein's regime form the backbone of the insurgency despite attention paid to the role of religious extremists such as al-Qaida in Iraq.
The list, released last weekend, includes at least 21 former regime figures, among them Saddam's chief lieutenant, his wife, eldest daughter, two nephews and a cousin - allegedly financiers of the insurgency.
Only five of the 41 names are clearly identified as members of al-Qaida's local branch.
That reinforces the impression shared by a number of analysts that ex-Baath party members and former regime figures still play a key role in the insurgency.
"I believe that former regime members form 40 to 50 percent of the insurgency," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian expert on militant groups. "Operations by al-Qaida and the Mujahedeen Shura Council make between five to 10 percent only, a maximum of 10 percent."
Rashwan said there was "no doubt" that veterans of Saddam's intelligence and security network form "an important part of the Iraqi resistance at the command level."
U.S. officials have also said that the percentage of insurgents belonging to al-Qaida in Iraq was relatively small, although the organization has drawn more attention because of its worldwide image and its tactic of spectacular suicide attacks against civilians.
Brig. Gen. Jalil Khalaf, who leads Iraqi forces in western Iraq, said the large number of ex-regime figures on the list may be due in part to the fact that U.S. and Iraqi officials have more intelligence on them than on shadowy religious extremists.
Some insurgents could be part of both camps - ex-Republican Guard fighters and Saddam militiamen who gravitated to al-Qaida under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed June 7 in a U.S. airstrike.
Many former intelligence and security officials are believed to have joined the insurgency after former U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer disbanded Iraq's 350,000-member military on May 23, 2003, a month after the regime collapsed.
"Saddamists are the largest group of insurgents and they give protection and shelter to other terrorists," deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiyah said. "They finance them and supply them with weapons. They are the most dangerous."
First on the list was Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam's top lieutenant. Saddam's wife, Sajida Khairallah Tulfah, was No. 17, just behind his eldest daughter, Raghad. Sajida is believed to be in Qatar, while Raghad lives in Jordan, where she was given refuge by King Abdullah II.
Iraqi officials have long alleged that Saddam's relatives who fled the country have been financing insurgent groups linked to the former Baath party.
Al-Qaida in Iraq's new leader, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, is No. 30.
Also among the most wanted were four leaders of Ansar al-Sunnah Army, part of the Mujahedeen Shura Council along with al-Qaida in Iraq. Six other people were listed as belonging to unspecified "terrorist organizations" and another to the Army of Muhammad.
Others on the list include Syrian businessman Monzer al-Kassar, who the government said was supplying weapons to the insurgents, and Lebanese activist Maan Bashour, said to be sending foreign fighters to Iraq.
Also included was Sheik Abdullah al-Janabi, a former leader of militants in Fallujah until U.S. forces overran the city in November 2004.
The list did not include members of groups said to have made contact with the government after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki offered amnesty to insurgents who renounce violence and join the political process.
Those groups include the 1920 Revolution Brigades, Abtal al-Iraq (Heroes of Iraq), the 9th of April Group, al-Fateh Brigades, al-Mukhtar Brigades, Salahuddin Brigades, Mujahedeen Army and the Brigades of the General Command of the Armed Forces.
"Saddamists and Baathists are responsible for acts of terrorism hitting the country," said Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, one of Iraq's top Shiite politicians. "They are the main problem. They are using the method of killing to achieve their goals. Some want to bring back the unjust rule that controlled Iraq. On top of those are the criminal Baathists."
MyWay
The list, released last weekend, includes at least 21 former regime figures, among them Saddam's chief lieutenant, his wife, eldest daughter, two nephews and a cousin - allegedly financiers of the insurgency.
Only five of the 41 names are clearly identified as members of al-Qaida's local branch.
That reinforces the impression shared by a number of analysts that ex-Baath party members and former regime figures still play a key role in the insurgency.
"I believe that former regime members form 40 to 50 percent of the insurgency," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian expert on militant groups. "Operations by al-Qaida and the Mujahedeen Shura Council make between five to 10 percent only, a maximum of 10 percent."
Rashwan said there was "no doubt" that veterans of Saddam's intelligence and security network form "an important part of the Iraqi resistance at the command level."
U.S. officials have also said that the percentage of insurgents belonging to al-Qaida in Iraq was relatively small, although the organization has drawn more attention because of its worldwide image and its tactic of spectacular suicide attacks against civilians.
Brig. Gen. Jalil Khalaf, who leads Iraqi forces in western Iraq, said the large number of ex-regime figures on the list may be due in part to the fact that U.S. and Iraqi officials have more intelligence on them than on shadowy religious extremists.
Some insurgents could be part of both camps - ex-Republican Guard fighters and Saddam militiamen who gravitated to al-Qaida under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed June 7 in a U.S. airstrike.
Many former intelligence and security officials are believed to have joined the insurgency after former U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer disbanded Iraq's 350,000-member military on May 23, 2003, a month after the regime collapsed.
"Saddamists are the largest group of insurgents and they give protection and shelter to other terrorists," deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiyah said. "They finance them and supply them with weapons. They are the most dangerous."
First on the list was Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam's top lieutenant. Saddam's wife, Sajida Khairallah Tulfah, was No. 17, just behind his eldest daughter, Raghad. Sajida is believed to be in Qatar, while Raghad lives in Jordan, where she was given refuge by King Abdullah II.
Iraqi officials have long alleged that Saddam's relatives who fled the country have been financing insurgent groups linked to the former Baath party.
Al-Qaida in Iraq's new leader, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, is No. 30.
Also among the most wanted were four leaders of Ansar al-Sunnah Army, part of the Mujahedeen Shura Council along with al-Qaida in Iraq. Six other people were listed as belonging to unspecified "terrorist organizations" and another to the Army of Muhammad.
Others on the list include Syrian businessman Monzer al-Kassar, who the government said was supplying weapons to the insurgents, and Lebanese activist Maan Bashour, said to be sending foreign fighters to Iraq.
Also included was Sheik Abdullah al-Janabi, a former leader of militants in Fallujah until U.S. forces overran the city in November 2004.
The list did not include members of groups said to have made contact with the government after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki offered amnesty to insurgents who renounce violence and join the political process.
Those groups include the 1920 Revolution Brigades, Abtal al-Iraq (Heroes of Iraq), the 9th of April Group, al-Fateh Brigades, al-Mukhtar Brigades, Salahuddin Brigades, Mujahedeen Army and the Brigades of the General Command of the Armed Forces.
"Saddamists and Baathists are responsible for acts of terrorism hitting the country," said Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, one of Iraq's top Shiite politicians. "They are the main problem. They are using the method of killing to achieve their goals. Some want to bring back the unjust rule that controlled Iraq. On top of those are the criminal Baathists."
MyWay
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