.Iraq: Detained Al-Qaeda leader 'funded by Arab states'
Baghdad, 18 May (AKI) - Al-Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq relies on funding from Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, according to confessions allegedly made by its reputed leader, Omar al-Baghdadi following his arrest last month, the Iraqi military said on Monday.
“Confessions made by Ahmed Abid Khameess al-Majmaee, known as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, are part of Iraqi judiciary’s investigations,” General Qassim Atta told journalists at a media conference in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
“I worked as a civil servant for al-Karama Company of the dissolved military industries commission,” al-Baghdadi said in a videotape that was shown during the conference.
“In 2005, I started working for Al-Qaeda in Iraq organisation (AQI),” he said.
“After that I was chosen to be the emir of the organisation, and I was called Abu Omar al-Baghdadi al-Husseini,” he added.
“I was called al-Baghdadi to satisfy Sunnis, and al-Husseini to satisfy the rest of Iraq,” he explained.
External funding came from some associations based in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria as well as some people who bring money to Iraq, he claimed.
Some funding also came from salaries embezzled from Iraqi employees, he stated.
"There are also internal sources derived from theft, or stolen from the salaries of employees," he said.
The Islamic State of Iraq, formed in October 2006, consists of seven armed groups, including the AQI, all of which were commanded by al-Baghdadi.
He claimed he received instructions from a handler in Iraq, the Voice of Iraq news agency reported.
The AQI, the Islamic State of Iraq and the dissolved Baath Party, "all have the same funding sources and conduct combined operations,” al-Baghdadi said.
At the height of the sectarian violence in 2006 and 2007, Al-Qaeda and other Sunni militant groups killed thousands of Iraqi civilians when they bombed markets and mosques crowded with Shia Muslims.
AKI
“Confessions made by Ahmed Abid Khameess al-Majmaee, known as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, are part of Iraqi judiciary’s investigations,” General Qassim Atta told journalists at a media conference in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
“I worked as a civil servant for al-Karama Company of the dissolved military industries commission,” al-Baghdadi said in a videotape that was shown during the conference.
“In 2005, I started working for Al-Qaeda in Iraq organisation (AQI),” he said.
“After that I was chosen to be the emir of the organisation, and I was called Abu Omar al-Baghdadi al-Husseini,” he added.
“I was called al-Baghdadi to satisfy Sunnis, and al-Husseini to satisfy the rest of Iraq,” he explained.
External funding came from some associations based in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria as well as some people who bring money to Iraq, he claimed.
Some funding also came from salaries embezzled from Iraqi employees, he stated.
"There are also internal sources derived from theft, or stolen from the salaries of employees," he said.
The Islamic State of Iraq, formed in October 2006, consists of seven armed groups, including the AQI, all of which were commanded by al-Baghdadi.
He claimed he received instructions from a handler in Iraq, the Voice of Iraq news agency reported.
The AQI, the Islamic State of Iraq and the dissolved Baath Party, "all have the same funding sources and conduct combined operations,” al-Baghdadi said.
At the height of the sectarian violence in 2006 and 2007, Al-Qaeda and other Sunni militant groups killed thousands of Iraqi civilians when they bombed markets and mosques crowded with Shia Muslims.
AKI
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