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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (22185)	7/14/2003 10:47:21 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Another perspective on Iraq Al Qaeda tape: Al-Qaeda Tape Of Iraq Attacks Claim Inauthentic: Analysts "So the audio was probably recorded by an Iraqi resistance fighter who wants to wage a psychological war on American soldiers," Rashwan Additional Reporting By Amir Heider, IOL Staff correspondent DUBAI, July 13 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A group alleging links to the al-Qaeda claimed in an audio tape broadcast by al-Arabiya satellite station Sunday, July 13, that it is responsible for growing attacks against the U.S. forces in Iraq. However, analysts ruled out the tape was authentic, as it offered no evidence to back up the claims by the white-bearded man on it. The voice said the "Armed Islamic Movement for al-Qaeda, the Falluja Branch," a previously unheard-of name, vowed to keep attacks against American forces, one day before one an American soldier was killed and eight others injured in separate attacks. "We swear by God that over the next few days we will launch attacks (against U.S. troops in Iraq) which will break their backs," a man who claimed to be speaking on behalf of the branch, said. "We claim responsibility for resistance operations in Iraq against the American forces .. and we refute all links between these operations and Saddam Hussein," the voice concluded. The U.S. occupation forces have insisted that loyalists to ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein are behind attacks against them in Iraq, while other observers see them in light of anti-American fury and rising feelings of frustration among desperate local inhabitants. The voice prayed to God "to grant success to our brothers who are dispersed in Iraq's governorates and in the countries of the world, (especially) Sheikh Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar" and stated the date as July 10, 2003. Mullah Omar headed the Taliban government that harbored al-Qaeda and was deposed by the U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. "We don't have any way of proving or disproving what was said on that tape," a spokesman in Florida for the United States Central Command was quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP) as saying. Two tape-recorded messages this month, broadcast on Arab TV stations and purporting to have come from the former Iraqi leader, have urged Iraqis to rise up against the American "invaders". Relations between U.S. forces and locals have been strained in the flashpoint town of Fallujah since the Americans shot dead at least 16 Iraqi demonstrators in April, and local inhabitants vowed revenge also over other U.S. military provocations About 4,000 U.S. troops are positioned around the town. 'Not For Qaeda' A number of analysts and observers said the tape could not be released by al-Qaeda, as it bears none of its hallmarks of messages previously broadcast by the group on Arab channels. "The tape might rather be a sort of psychological pressure on American soldiers by an Iraqi resistance group," Diyaa Rashwan, an analyst in Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, told Islamonline.net. The man appearing on the tape was unidentified, a style al-Qaeda did not use in its audio and video tapes, Rashwan said, adding that it was clear the voice "was doctored" electronically. "All al-Qaeda earlier tapes did not end with praying for Bin Laden or Taliban leader Mulla Omar, unlike the al-Arabiya tape," the Egyptian analyst added. "So the audio was probably recorded by an Iraqi resistance fighter who wants to wage a psychological war on American soldiers," said Rashwan. Conspicuously, the tape mentioned the western calendar before the Islamic calendar and included no Koranic sayings, which did not also confirm with the style followed by al-Qaeda. Earlier this month, an audio tape said to be made by Saddam urged Iraqis to fight the U.S.-British occupation, saying "Jihad cells" had already been formed "on large scale" across the country to resist the occupation. Warning the U.S. forces of more bloodshed to come, Saddam urged Iraqis to give support to resistance against the Anglo-American occupation. "Oh brothers and sisters, we relay to you good news: Jihad cells and brigades have been formed on large scale. We urge you to protect the heroic resistance fighters and not to give the infidel invaders or their aides any information or help about their operations," Saddam said. The United States had earlier referred to ties between Qaeda and the Saddam regime, but American officials then said there are no substantiated evidence to support the claim. islamonline.net