![]() [AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images] Iraqis place flowers outside bombed Foreign Affairs Ministry in August, 2009. |
In a press conference held Monday (January 18th) the Iraqi Ministry of Defence showed recorded video confessions of men officials said were leaders in the so-called Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group.
The nine men, who include a Syrian national, are accused of carrying out attacks against civilians and security forces in Baghdad and Ninawa province.
Ministry of Defence spokesperson Gen. Mohammed al-Askari said airing the video confessions was "a message to the groups that still carry arms, telling them their fate will be either to be killed or arrested".
"The Ministry of Defence won't allow those who attack Iraqi citizens to proceed with their assaults. Therefore, the security forces pledged to forge ahead with combating terrorism and patching up all the security holes that take place in the sectors for which we are responsible," al-Askari added.
In his confession, Mohammed Ramzi Shehab, 35, a resident of Ninawa who worked as an accountant in the Dollar Market in the city of Mosul, said "I joined the Islamic State of Iraq in 2007. I received funds from my father who lives in London. He asked me to carry out jihadist operations against the government of al-Maliki. I was appointed by a Pakistani imam as the mufti of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2007."
"I issued a fatwa for slaughtering Hasan al-Mohannad, who worked as a porter," said Shehab. "I issued another fatwa for kidnapping someone called Rafie Mekkia, who was a teacher. He was actually kidnapped before he arrived at school and was then slaughtered in the al-Ghanam market area."
"I issued a fatwa for slaughtering someone called Karrar, who is the owner of a shop at al-Jamaa Market," Shehab continued. "He's Christian. I issued the fatwa because he didn't pay al-Jizya [ransom]. There was another operation related to the issue of a fatwa for slaughtering a woman informant. I gave my fatwa for slaughtering her, and she was executed. This is in addition to the slaughtering of two other women."
The second suspect, Ahmed Thannoun Qassim, a resident of al-Karrada area in Baghdad who works as a pharmacist at the Oncology Hospital, said he had joined al-Qaeda through Jaish al-Mujahedeen in September 2005.
"I joined the sniper platoon," Qassim said. "I was trained in sniper operations by trainers in the organization. I was asked to be the Sharia judge of the Islamic State of Iraq, and I accepted it in November 2008."
Qassim said that the first fatwa he issued was to kill the injured members of Iraqi police and army.
"They would be killed while at hospitals by people who were working as in those hospitals as employees."
"We got our funds through threats against the doctors and pharmacists who are known to us," Qassim added. "A number of them were kidnapped and we blackmailed their families for money."
"I was recruited by al-Qaeda organisation," said Azmy Darby, a Syrian national. "My mission was to transport bombs and vests of explosives from one area to another by dressing in women clothes to carry these bombs and vests."
"I carried four vests of explosives and two boxes of sticky bombs while wearing women's clothes. A woman used to help me put on the vests, and then I would transport them to another area," he said.
Hasan al-Rubaiy, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defence Committee said that Iraqi security forces have started to take effective steps in fighting the Iraqi armed groups.
"Arresting the terrorists and criminals who are wanted by the judiciary comes as a result of joint efforts between the security institutions and through the exchange of information and high-level coordination," he said. "The Iraqi Parliament and the Security and Defence Committee played a major role in increasing the coordination and intensification of security efforts."
"The upcoming phase is a dangerous and sensitive one that requires full awareness on the part of the security agencies and citizens alike so that we may not give the enemies of Iraq the chance to disrupt security conditions with the aim of influencing the political process," he added.
Meanwhile, Al-Rasafa Criminal Court last Thursday handed down the death penalty to 11 people accused of carrying out the bombings in August of 2009 that targeted the ministries of finance and foreign affairs in Baghdad and killed or injured hundreds of victims.
Iraqi National Coalition member Taha Darie said that "the announcement of the arrest of those wanted terrorists will constitute a factor of security for Iraqi citizens, especially as there is an upcoming parliamentary election that requires the creation of a suitable security atmosphere to enable the citizens to take part in the election".
"The death penalties handed down by the Iraqi courts against those who are accused of bombings or killing Iraqis have restored hopes to everyone, to the effect that the criminals will receive their punishment, and that the security forces have achieved a lot in terms of putting an end to terrorist cells," Darie noted.
Terrorists have waged war against the traders and businessmen in Iraq. They would kidnap them and then demand huge ransoms for their release, after having kept them hostage at locations and hideouts used by these terrorists. Many of them have been killed because the terrorists did not receive their ransom. The terrorists have also burned down many of the businesses owned by these traders. The terrorists carried out several bombings in Al-Shorja, the biggest marketplace in Iraq, and these bombing attacks have deeply affected the trading activities in Iraq. The terrorists also set fire to a number of shops in this marketplace, which affected business, because, clearly, the terrorists want to kill Iraq’s economy by what they are doing. This is the reason why many businessmen with a lot of capital have left the country, and they have opened up businesses in the neighboring countries and the Gulf in order to work there. This has definitely had an impact on the markets in Iraq, because the businessmen are the ones that keep the Iraqi economy strong, and the government should attempt to encourage them to come back, because their return will greatly improve the Iraqi economy, because the economy depends on capital. With security having been restored now, there should be encouragement on the part of the government, calling on investors and businessmen to come back to Iraq, to re-open their businesses and their shops, and resume their business activities.
Among these criminals, we find kidnappers of children, who often rape the children and then ask their families for ransom and blackmail them. These criminals and gangsters who commit such acts must be severely punished, to set the example and to prevent anyone else from following them. Iraqis have the right to take revenge on anyone who has destroyed their lives or killed their relatives. The Iraqi law and judiciary must be independent and derive their strength from the Iraqis and the Iraqi government. The law must be imposed. Many terrorists have kidnapped children and asked their families for ransom. Once captured, they don’t get punishment that is commensurate with the horror of their deeds. They are either mercenaries to terrorist organizations or gangsters. If they are terrorists, we know how they use their money. They spend money to buy arms and explosives, to plant them at the markets and blow them up to kill as many innocent people as possible. Thus, terrorism, killing and destruction will be spread in Iraq anew. So, they deserve execution, and I think that everyone agrees with me. They can be private gangsters seeking to gain money, spread criminality, violence, kidnapping and blackmail in order to disturb the stability and security in Iraq, while Iraqis devote their efforts to achieving security in cooperation with the allied forces. Such criminals must be severely punished. The Iraqi judiciary must impose strict sanctions on these terrorists and their followers, and must not have any mercy on them.
The rotten ideology of these filthy people, such as the followers of Al-Qaeda, is evidence of the degeneration of Man and a testimony to his guilt, and his appalling thinking and ideas. Today, Al-Qaeda is known to the whole world and to all peoples. It is known for its activities and achievements. What are these activities and achievements? They include killing, destruction, bombing and targeting citizens and their lives without any distinction. They aim at spreading chaos, terror, fear, and overthrowing governments, in order to destabilize the world and control states, and therefore rule the world through murder and criminality. This is a summary of their ideology and actions. If we want to talk to one of these killers and question his ideology and why he carries out such acts, and what his religion is, he will simply say that he wants to be a martyr and be blessed with Heaven from God. In fact, never have I heard before of a more stupid and appalling answer to justify their actions.
Iraq has become a hotbed of terrorism, which has claimed the lives of many Iraqis through car bombings, suicide vests, i.e. explosive belts, and assassinations of innocent people. In fact, terrorists have resorted to the dirtiest methods and techniques to reach their aim. In fact, they aim at destroying the country and raising sedition among the people. They have also exploited religion by carrying out many operations in the name of religion. The terrorist acts have left many widows, orphans and disabled people. They have also caused material losses, damaged the infrastructure by targeting electricity, drinking water, schools and hospitals. Terrorists have exploited the mentally disturbed and animals in their criminal bombings. Therefore, the whole world must be aware that if terrorism invades a certain society, progress and development will be halted. In fact, this is the objective of terrorists. Iraqis have recognized the objectives of these criminals, and they rose up and stood up as one man to defeat terrorism and eliminate its members. Thus, there must be cooperation between the Iraqi people and the security services to curtail terrorist operations, eradicate terrorists to preserve society, and promote building, services, health services and all aspects of life, and keep pace with the new developments.
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, distract the terrorists, al-Qaeda and their supporters. The takfiri terrorism acts raided by those must be eliminated anywhere and anytime. It is a humanitarian duty to stand in their face in order to protect humankind. They tarnished our reputation, we the sons of the Arabian Peninsula in particular and as Arabs in general. They distorted the image of true Islam and made the whole world hate it. O Allah you can stop them.
I swear, were it not for the present guards, the organization would have killed all of us by now.
"Sufficient for us is Allah , and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." Allah Is more powerful. Death for Al Qaeda and their sons.
Awesomeeee but frightening
Sent by: Wounded Iraqi Why is the Muthanna Brigade pursuing the style of sectarian discrimination against the people of the Abu Ghraib district? We ask that the Defense Ministry resolve this problem as soon as possible and release the innocent detainees to avoid the cry of the oppressed

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