.Al-Qaida in Iraq: 'Insurgent Tape' Fake
CAIRO, Egypt -- Al-Qaida in Iraq said Saturday that a recent video tape made by a man claiming to be an insurgent who called for the replacement of the head of the terrorist group was fabricated.
The Mujahedeen Shura Council _ an umbrella organization of insurgent groups, including al-Qaida in Iraq _ said in a statement posted on its Web site that the video was "a lie and a media trick."
The statement could not be independently confirmed.
On Friday, a man who said he was an Iraqi Islamic insurgent released a video tape urging Osama bin Laden to replace al-Qaida in Iraq's leader with an Iraqi national. The man, who claimed to be Abu Osama al-Iraqi, said in the 17-minute video tape posted on a Web site commonly used by insurgents that there were "deviations" by al-Qaida in Iraq under its new leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri.
Al-Masri _ whose pseudonym means "the Egyptian" _ took over the leadership after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed by a U.S. airstrike in June. Other Sunni insurgents had criticized al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, for turning Sunni Iraqis against the movement by killing civilians.
The Shura Council said the false video tape "shows the great dilemma that the Crusader's coalition is passing through in Iraq especially after the calls for withdrawal that were released by the British army."
The group was referring to Britain's top soldier, Gen. Richard Dannatt, who said Thursday that British troops should withdraw from Iraq. On Friday, he backpedaled from the comments, saying he meant troops should leave within years.
WaPo
The Mujahedeen Shura Council _ an umbrella organization of insurgent groups, including al-Qaida in Iraq _ said in a statement posted on its Web site that the video was "a lie and a media trick."
The statement could not be independently confirmed.
On Friday, a man who said he was an Iraqi Islamic insurgent released a video tape urging Osama bin Laden to replace al-Qaida in Iraq's leader with an Iraqi national. The man, who claimed to be Abu Osama al-Iraqi, said in the 17-minute video tape posted on a Web site commonly used by insurgents that there were "deviations" by al-Qaida in Iraq under its new leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri.
Al-Masri _ whose pseudonym means "the Egyptian" _ took over the leadership after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed by a U.S. airstrike in June. Other Sunni insurgents had criticized al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, for turning Sunni Iraqis against the movement by killing civilians.
The Shura Council said the false video tape "shows the great dilemma that the Crusader's coalition is passing through in Iraq especially after the calls for withdrawal that were released by the British army."
The group was referring to Britain's top soldier, Gen. Richard Dannatt, who said Thursday that British troops should withdraw from Iraq. On Friday, he backpedaled from the comments, saying he meant troops should leave within years.
WaPo
posted by madtom at 9:50 PM
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