A look at extremist groups in Iraq
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| Fri, 07-09-2004 - 6:10pm |
Friday, July 9, 2004 · Last updated 1:14 p.m. PT
A look at extremist groups in Iraq
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The following is a sampling of militant and Islamic extremist groups in Iraq. Some have claimed responsibility for beheadings and car bombings; others have only released Internet statements and threatening videos. U.S. officials and analysts have been unable to pinpoint their number, largely because many disband and regroup under different names.
- TAWHID AND JIHAD: Headed by Jordanian al-Qaida-linked militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Claimed responsibility for beheading U.S. businessman Nicholas Berg and South Korean translator Kim Sun-il, and for car bombings and attacks in recent months. In videotape aired Friday, threatened to kill two Bulgarian hostages if U.S. military does not release Iraqi detainees in 24 hours.
- ANSAR AL-ISLAM: Formed in the Kurdish parts of Iraq. Members served as fixers for other Sunni Muslim extremists entering Iraq, U.S. officials believe. Group also has experimented with chemical weapons; U.S. defense officials fear such an attack inside Iraq. Several members arrested in northern city Kirkuk after string of attacks and assassination attempts targeting Kurdish officials and police.
- ANSAR AL-SUNNA ARMY: Believed to be an offshoot of Ansar al-Islam. Headed by Abu Abdullah al-Hassan bin Mahmoud. Claimed on Web site to have beheaded Lebanese-born Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun. Later denied it was behind that message. Hassoun turned up safe in Lebanon on Thursday. The group claimed responsibility for twin attacks Feb. 1 on Kurdish party offices in Irbil, killing 109 people and injuring some U.S. soldiers.
- ISLAMIC RESPONSE, SECURITY WING OF THE NATIONAL ISLAMIC RESISTANCE - 1920 REVOLUTION BRIGADE: Claimed in June 27 video it had kidnapped Hassoun. Video showed Hassoun blindfolded with sword over his head. Group later said it had taken Marine to "safe place." First surfaced in Aug. 12 statement claiming United States was hiding U.S. casualty toll in Iraq to help President Bush's election chances.
- SALVATION MOVEMENT: Threatened to kill al-Zarqawi. U.S. officials say group predominantly made up of former Baathists seeking to re-establish political organization. Not considered extremists.
- AL-MAHDI ARMY: Thousands-strong Shiite militia headed by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Waged fierce battle with U.S. forces in Iraq's Shiite heartland in April. Hundreds of fighters killed before cease-fire brokered.
- IRAQI LEGITIMATE RESISTANCE: Claims to have kidnapped Egyptian driver shown on video aired on Al-Jazeera.
- IRAQI ISLAMIC ARMY - KHALED BIN AL-WALEED CORPS: Threatened to kill Filipino hostage shown seated in front of three masked men in video aired on Al-Jazeera Thursday night. Group named Iraqi Islamic Army said in March it was working with bin Laden's al-Qaida in attacking coalition forces.
- MARTYR AHMED YASSIN BRIGADE: Claimed on videotape obtained April 10 by Associated Press Television News to have 30 Japanese, Bulgarians, Americans, Israelis, Spanish and Korean hostages. Video showed no images of hostages; there have been no reports of that number of people missing.
- ARAB RESISTANCE MOVEMENT: Previously unknown when claimed responsibility in May for killing Izzadine Saleem, president of defunct Iraqi Governing Council.
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Only the first two were organized before the war, that seems proof that the Iraqi invasion has increased terrorists groups.
If my memory serves me well....The uprising was triggered by Bremer closing the newspaper ran by Moqtada al-Sadr. The paper was printing anti-American propaganda.
Yes you're correct about an arrest warrant.....
The US-led coalition in Iraq says an arrest warrant has been issued for radical cleric Moqtada Sadr.
A coalition spokesman told a news conference in Baghdad that the warrant had been issued in connection with the murder of a rival cleric last year.
The statement came on the second day of violent anti-coalition protests across Iraq by Mr Sadr's supporters. US helicopter gunships targeted militia members loyal to Mr Sadr in the mainly Shia district of al-Shuala in Baghdad.
Coalition officials told a news conference in Baghdad that the warrant for Mr Sadr's arrest had been drawn up by an Iraqi judge and would be executed "without advance warning".
Mr Sadr has denied any involvement in the killing of Abdel-Majid al-Khoei in Najaf in April last year.
More........ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3601887.stm