.Al Qaeda "building political arm in Iraq"
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda wants to build a political operation in Iraq to broaden its campaign against the U.S.-backed government, a top U.S. general said on Wednesday.
Citing intelligence mostly gathered since the death of al Qaeda's former leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June, Major General William Caldwell said the militant group appeared to be refining its approach beyond bombings and beheadings.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq wants to present itself as a legitimate organisation and is striving to increase its operational power by building a political base with a military wing," Caldwell told a news briefing. He did not give specific examples.
Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike on June 7 and was quickly replaced by Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who al Qaeda said would continue the Jordanian-born militant's bloody campaign.
But Caldwell said the group was also developing more subtle ways to undermine the government and drive U.S. troops from Iraq, in addition to bloody sectarian attacks.
He said the militant group was producing propaganda to exploit Iraqi anger over high unemployment, poor security and unreliable supplies of electricity and fuel, and turn it against the government and its U.S. backers.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq, through the media and other grassroots propaganda, will promote a theme that portrays the Sunnis as under attack by coalition forces, and the government of Iraq as being corrupt," he said.
Caldwell said it was also courting tribal leaders, borrowing a technique employed by Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein.
Al Qaeda makes up about five percent of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgency but its suicide bombers have been responsible for some of the worst violence, often killing over 100 people in a single attack. Adding a political dimension to its campaign did not mean the group was about to end violence.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq realises killing of innocent Iraqi civilians has damaged their public support and is working to reverse that perception. By no means does it mean they intend to stop creating sectarian violence, but rather change the perception," he said.
Reuters
More evidence that a new leader has emerged.
Citing intelligence mostly gathered since the death of al Qaeda's former leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June, Major General William Caldwell said the militant group appeared to be refining its approach beyond bombings and beheadings.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq wants to present itself as a legitimate organisation and is striving to increase its operational power by building a political base with a military wing," Caldwell told a news briefing. He did not give specific examples.
Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike on June 7 and was quickly replaced by Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who al Qaeda said would continue the Jordanian-born militant's bloody campaign.
But Caldwell said the group was also developing more subtle ways to undermine the government and drive U.S. troops from Iraq, in addition to bloody sectarian attacks.
He said the militant group was producing propaganda to exploit Iraqi anger over high unemployment, poor security and unreliable supplies of electricity and fuel, and turn it against the government and its U.S. backers.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq, through the media and other grassroots propaganda, will promote a theme that portrays the Sunnis as under attack by coalition forces, and the government of Iraq as being corrupt," he said.
Caldwell said it was also courting tribal leaders, borrowing a technique employed by Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein.
Al Qaeda makes up about five percent of Iraq's Sunni Arab insurgency but its suicide bombers have been responsible for some of the worst violence, often killing over 100 people in a single attack. Adding a political dimension to its campaign did not mean the group was about to end violence.
"Al Qaeda in Iraq realises killing of innocent Iraqi civilians has damaged their public support and is working to reverse that perception. By no means does it mean they intend to stop creating sectarian violence, but rather change the perception," he said.
Reuters
More evidence that a new leader has emerged.
posted by madtom at 12:34 AM
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