[10/28/09]			Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) Claims Baghdad Bombings The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) claiming responsibility for the suicide car bombings that left more than 160 dead and injured nearly 500. According to the statement, “One of the selected targets that was chosen this time was the ministry of evil and exploitation, the ‘ministry of justice’, and the other one was Baghdad's provincial council, the ‘legislative council of the local government of Baghdad’…[the Mujahidin] pulled away the curtain on the criminals of this beautiful area, and ended the numerous lies…”

[9/22/09]			“Hamas al-Iraq” Publication Displays Shattered Statue of Liberty  The NEFA Foundation has released an image of the cover of the 21st issue of the official magazine of “Hamas al-Iraq”, a prominent Sunni insurgent organization aligned with the local Muslim Brotherhood. Released on September 11, 2009, the cover features a shattered Statue of Liberty. Al-Qaida in Iraq has repeatedly accused “Hamas al-Iraq” of cooperating with U.S. military forces and Awakening movements in Sunni regions of Iraq. In June 2008, the NEFA Foundation released an exclusive interview with Ahmad Said al-Hamed, Spokesman for the Political Wing of “Hamas al-Iraq”.
[8/28/09]			Al-Qaida in Iraq Claims Baghdad Suicide Bombings The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communique from Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI) claiming responsibility for the coordinated August 19 suicide bombing attacks on Iraqi government ministries in the capital Baghdad. According to the statement, "disciples of the Islamic State have launched a new blessed battle in the heart of stricken Baghdad, to attack the infidel dens and deviant fortresses of the apostate government... The ground shook beneath their feet and their hearts were torn apart with terror and fear. Their weakness and the fragility of the nation--and how it is divided--has been revealed." The statement also addressed the issue of civilian casualties: "if we have accidentally killed or harmed those of Sunni Muslim blood who were located in these places, then we send our wishes to those wounded persons for a speedy recovery, and for those who were killed, [we wish them] to be raised as martyrs. We beseech them [Sunni Muslims] to Allah to avoid passing by or being in these places as much as possible. We will not stop our jihad against the mushrikeen and defending against the infidels for the sake of those fallen martyrs."

[7/28/09]			Abu Omar al-Baghdadi: “Islamic Party: Traitors to its Nation” The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new audio recording from the Amir al-Mumineen (“Commander of the Faithful”) of Al-Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. In the tape, al-Baghdadi noted that "if the American occupiers have a presence even in a small region in the Iraqi desert, away from all forms of life, it is a duty for every Muslim to carry Jihad against them until removing them from that region..." He pointed out that "reports and studies confirmed that war on Iraq is the first and real reason behind the American…economic crisis, and its reflections on world countries. A receiver of the Nobel Prize confirmed that the war on Iraq expense reached $150 billion annually; the expenses for an American soldier are continuously rising as in 2008 alone, $20 billion were spent to buy better armored cars, and the expenses for psychological and physical treatment of American soldiers and their families."

[5/7/09]	IAI: “An Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), titled, "An Open Letter to U.S. President Barack Obama/A Golden Opportunity to Accomplish the Mission." In the letter, the Emir of the IAI writes, "we call upon you and the American people (if there is a just stance for the good of mankind) to return a just balance to the international relations and to make a new plan for America in order to protect its vital legitimate interests in our Arab and Islamic world. This policy should rely on mutual interests, respecting others, returning the rights to their owners, and removing the injustice formed as a result of the wrong policies at all levels.” He also notes, "The arrogance and stupidity of the previous administration whose president announced on this day in the first year of occupation that ‘Mission Accomplished’, gave Iran influence that may enable it to dominate oil resources without the loss of a single dollar or firing a single bullet. It must change, and dealing effectively with the ‘Iraqi quagmire’ should not be done with patchwork and short term solutions, but with changing the American policy in Iraq. The most important solution to the great mistakes committed by the Bush administration is the reversal of the current ‘ethnic sectarian’ political process, and leaving the leadership of the country to its loyal sons..."
[3/12/09]	Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) Claims Responsibility for Baghdad Police Academy Bombing The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) claiming responsibility for the March 8th suicide bombing outside Baghdad's police academy that killed 28. According to the statement, "Our brother said ‘Allahu Akhbar’ and detonated his belt amongst them, leaving more than thirty apostate volunteers killed and no less than sixty others injured—several of which were seriously wounded."
[12/21/08]	IAI Admits Grudging “Admiration” for Aspects of U.S. Election The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from the media spokesman of the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), Dr. Ali al-Nuaimi, concerning the recent U.S. presidential elections. According to Dr. al-Nuaimi’s statement, “There were significant lessons demonstrated during the recent American elections… [such as] how Hillary [Clinton] stepped down after facing increasing support for Obama in the polls… She has put aside all disagreements and previous conflicts with him in order to work together, along with their party, to achieve victory… This story presents a valuable lesson to our own honored nation, in which our people, our leaders, our clergy, and the mujahideen all fight amongst each other… In our nation, we witness disgraceful acts of competition between people, even using legal tactics, and refusing to support others during their campaign to achieve their goals… It is truly a shame… Another admirable scene took place after McCain’s defeat, when he went out to speak to his supporters and continued on in listing his mistakes and congratulating Obama for his victory… Despite the devastating defeats they suffered, each candidate avoided criticizing or attempting to demonize the other—or even trying to harm or kill their opponents, similar to what takes place among candidates in our nation… All of their differences have been transformed into support and assistance, and that is a fact to admire.” However, the IAI also strongly warned its supporters not to become hopelessly “mesmerized” by the landmark election of Obama: “The shared hatred for America around the world may change after the historic election of a black president. Dear brothers, this issue is of supreme importance… We should not become mesmerized by our enemies… People tend to imitate their lords and teachers, the defeated mimick the victorious, and the weak imitate the strong… Becoming hypnotized by the infidels and their capabilities is an unfortunate thing.”
[12/12/08]	Growing Chorus of Sunni Militants in Iraq Turn On Al-Qaida The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated recent communiqués from two major Sunni insurgent groups active in Iraq, voicing their solidarity with and support for the Mujahideen Army in their ongoing war of words with the leader of Al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Hamza al-Muhajir. On November 6, the Saad Bin Abu Waqas Brigades (SBAW) issued a statement warning, “the brothers from [Al-Qaida] have, more than once, accused the mujahideen at large of being infidels, hypocrites, and apostates. This issue is dangerous and serves only the interests of the enemies of the Islamic nation. It weakens the mujahideen, igniting discord and conflicts amongst them, and it inspires treacherous decisions concerning the permissibility of [spilling] blood and [seizing] money… It spreads anarchy within the mujahideen… We express our astonishment and surprise at the repeated targeting of the mujahideen and the doubts raised about them without any proof… We call upon the brothers from [Al-Qaida] to refrain from abandoning the mujahideen, targeting them, and placing them in the circle of the infidels, apostates, and hypocrites without any evidence or proof. We believe that this action will only support the interests of the enemies of Islam and jihad.” Days later, on November 11, the commanders of the Al-Fatihin Army in Iraq also published their own reaction to “Abu Hamza al-Muhajir’s fabrications… The threats that he has made to some of these [insurgent] factions represent one of the most critical factors in weakening the jihad, wasting the lives of mujahideen, and causing quarreling and infighting amongst them—leading to bloodshed and the wasting of financial resources. This serves nothing but the interests of the enemies of Islam… especially when the accusations are coming from one of the commanders of the jihad and its symbols.” The Al-Fatihin Army added, “concerning [Abu Hamza’s] claim that he had notified the [insurgent] factions about the declaration of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) beforehand—we had no clue about this development, and learned of it only after it was published in the media.”
[12/5/08]	Mujahideen Army Condemns “Hideous Slander” from AQI’s Abu Hamza al-Muhajir The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from a prominent Sunni insurgent group in Iraq known as the Mujahideen Army. The statement, issued in response to a controversial recent audio address from Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, angrily condemned Abu Hamza for spreading “hideous slander”, “fabrications”, and “falsifications” about the Mujahideen Army abandoning the cause of jihad. The Mujahideen Army insisted that they have neither joined in the Awakening movements, nor in “the methodology of fanaticism, of which [Al-Qaida is] the central pillar.” The group added, “in order to prevent our enemies from gloating over us… [and] drag[ging] our conflicts [with Al-Qaida] into the spotlight… that is the only reason why we kept silent about their actions and the crimes that their followers have committed… We didn’t kill a single one of them, although we could have if we had wanted to.” Countering with their own allegations of insurgent fratricide by Al-Qaida, the Mujahideen Army openly mocked the intelligence of Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who “seems to believe that by randomly throwing out accusations against others, that will somehow make his fabrications come true and his imaginary illusions become real… to the extent that [he is] no longer acting out of concern for jihad, the Islamic nation, and our religion.”
[11/12/08]	Iraqi Insurgents Issue Open Letter to President-Elect Obama The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new Arabic-language communiqué issued by the Political Council of the Iraqi Resistance (PCIR), an umbrella organization which oversees the political interests of several major Sunni insurgent groups in Iraq—including the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), the Salahudeen al-Ayyubi Brigades (JAAMI), Hamas al-Iraq, and the breakaway “Shariah Committee” from the former Ansar al-Sunnah Army. The statement from the PCIR, addressed to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, offered blunt advice “for the new American administration to benefit from and to use to avoid the mistakes that the old administration fell into. The reason why you won the presidency is not because the Americans suddenly found out that they should not be racist, it is because of the many mistakes that the Bush administration fell under which didn’t leave for the American citizen any room, not even for a second to think about keeping that administration and the least proof for this is the large numbers of votes against them. Your campaign promises were built on change and the time for it has come, and we say with that the time has come… therefore we ask for change and do not listen to those who tell you that a withdrawal from Iraq is a defeat. We say to you that a withdrawal will mean a triumph of reason and logic… You must correct your mistakes and work with courage to pay compensation to all those who you have destroyed, their families or their house or their psychology. And you must release all those you have as prisoners until the last Iraqi of them, and you must order the sectarian government to release all its prisoners and to return the balance of security to Iraq. Without this we will not think that you will be coming with the change that you have promised, and if you do this you will be written down in history as the courageous one.”
[11/11/08]	AQI Leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi Issues Economic Proposal to “New Rulers in the White House” The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new audio recording from the Amir al-Mumineen (“Commander of the Faithful”) of Al-Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. According to al-Baghdadi, the purpose of the audio recording addressed to the “new rulers in the White House” was “to invite you amicably to change and improve your actions. It is not meant to intimidate or threaten you.” Al-Baghdadi mocked the inadequacies of the U.S. government, particularly demonstrated in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, and characterized the U.S. as “a rather cartoonish civilization, for if the electricity is shut down or computers stop operating, you immediately return to a medieval state.” In concluding, al-Baghdadi offered a proposal of mutual benefit to the incoming Obama White House: “return to your former state of neutrality, withdraw your troops, and return to your homelands, and stop intervening in the affairs of our nations either directly or indirectly. If you do so, on our part, we shall guarantee you free trade, including the trade of petroleum—so long as it is conducted in a fair and equitable way, and not shoddily or without profit.”
[11/10/08]	Exclusive: Translation of Controversial Interview with Al-Qaida in Iraq Leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir The NEFA Foundation has transcribed and translated a highly controversial new interview with Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the leader of Al-Qaida in Iraq. During the interview, produced by the official media wing of Al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza pointedly accused various other Sunni insurgent groups—including the Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI), the Mujahideen Army, and the 1920 Revolution Brigades—of treachery and collaboration with U.S. forces and the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government. When asked by the Al-Qaida interviewer, “do you have military operations outside Iraq, such as in Western countries, for example? Do you have the intention of targeting Western interests?”, Abu Hamza responded, “Every country which has participated in the aggression on Iraq and in the crimes against the rights of our people are legitimate targets for us—for even if time grows long, rights are not forgotten or grow old. Indeed, we have already carried out many operations outside Iraq—one of which that should be particularly mentioned is the most recent operation in Britain, when part of [the mission] was carried out at the airport, and rest was a failure, due to a mistake committed by one of our brothers a few days before the operation, when he called to break the news that the operation was about to take place. However, we should give the leaders of Britain, America, and Australia some news about what is to come. What Allah has inspired in us, they have no power to counter and, with the help of Allah, no capacity to detect.”
[11/4/08]	Ansar al-Islam Distances Itself From “Illegal Actions” and “Criminal Behavior” by Mujahideen in Iraq The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué issued by the Ansar al-Islam Organization in Iraq (formerly known as the Ansar al-Sunnah Army), in which the group distanced itself from “illegal actions” and “criminal behavior” allegedly committed by unspecified factions from within the jihadi movement in Iraq. Rejecting any responsibility for these “incidents”, the statement argued, “May Allah forbid that Ansar [al-Islam] would remain silent in the face of abominable actions as an approval of them—to the contrary, we have relied on remaining silent as our policy for a specific stage and for a specific purpose, which we consider to be crucial for us. Our silence is not based on actions—if it were so, it would be a false silence according to Shariah—but, rather, the silence was aimed at [avoiding] publishing condemnations in the media, because the enemy uses a strategy of media publicity for propaganda and to create rifts within the ranks of the mujahideen.”
[9/22/08]	The Bitter Divide Within Al-Qaida's Final Ally in Iraq The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated two recent statements issued respectively by the Ansar al-Islam Organization in Iraq (formerly known as the Ansar al-Sunnah Army) and a breakaway faction which refers to itself as the “Shariah Committee of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army.” In response to allegations from Ansar al-Islam accusing their dissident brothers of conspiring with the Americans against Al-Qaida, the "Shariah Committee" fired back with a detailed 32-page breakdown of criminal behavior and atrocities committed by Al-Qaida's forces in Iraq without any apparent objection from Ansar al-Islam. The “Shariah Committee” warned their former comrades, "[our leaders] know much about you, and if they were to publicize it, it would be a major and shameful humiliation… Isn’t it rather hypocritical for you to flatter others and act courteously towards the killers responsible for murdering many of you out of fear of their power, while you simultaneously assault your brothers and lie to them… Who killed your men in Al-Ramadi, in Al-Yusufiya, in Nineveh, and in various other areas more than two years ago, and yet you forgave them? …Was it not you who used to say that the greatest action that Shaykh [Usama] Bin Laden could perform today would be to declare the disbanding of the Al-Qaida organization in Iraq, because it has fallen into disgrace and it has become a cover for anyone with twisted goals in order for them to achieve these goals through this infiltrated organization. The only treatment for its condition is to disband it… You sent messengers to Afghanistan—among whom was Abu al-Darda’a, may Allah have mercy upon him, who was dispatched in order to explain to [Usama] Bin Laden and [Dr. Ayman] al-Zawahiri the massive corruption of Al-Qaida in Iraq. When Abu al-Darda’a returned, he indicated that a delegation would be sent by al-Zawahiri to Iraq in order to confirm whether these reports were true. Then you told us that Abu Musab [al-Zarqawi], may Allah have mercy upon him, was impeding the arrival of this delegation in order to prevent the truth from being revealed. It should be noted that the era of Abu Musab should be considered to be a golden era when compared to what happened afterwards.”
[7/7/08]	NEFA Exclusive: Interview with the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) The NEFA Foundation has released an English transcript of a third exclusive insurgent interview recently conducted by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann--on this occasion with Dr. Ali al-Naimi, official spokesman of the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), one of the largest and most influential Sunni insurgent factions fighting in Iraq. During the interview, Dr. al-Naimi portrayed the IAI as a more mainstream Islamist political alternative to Al-Qaida, which is "respectful of the realities of Iraq--social, political, and economic" and is determined "to establish a state based on equal justice for all citizens." Sending his "blessings to the intelligent people of America", Dr. al-Naimi insisted, "we wish the American soldiers would leave us in peace, for we are not murderers and we do not experience joy in killing anyone." Dr. al-Naimi also had extremely harsh words for Al-Qaida and its leadership both in Iraq and Afghanistan. He repeatedly accused Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI) of carrying out "continuous mistakes" and "crimes against innocents": "we have our own evidence that has purposely not been published proving that the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) is not legitimate. The statements of [Dr. Ayman] al-Zawahiri do not obligate us whatsoever, and the errors of Al-Qaida in regards to spilling the blood of the innocent are more numerous than can possibly be covered in a single response, statement, or interview."
[6/18/08]	NEFA Exclusive: Interviews with Sunni Insurgent Groups in Iraq The NEFA Foundation has released English transcripts of two exclusive interviews recently conducted by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann with “Hamas al-Iraq” and the “Al-Rashideen Army”—arguably two of the most influential Sunni insurgent factions fighting in Iraq. Both groups have insisted that they are part of a unified Sunni effort to force a U.S. military withdrawal that includes all major organizations “except Al-Qaida, and everyone has fought against them because we see this group as promoting a particular agenda that does not fit with the realities of Iraqi society.” When asked for an assessment of Al-Qaida's top leaders in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, a spokesman for "Hamas al-Iraq" responded, “If you mean knowing those two persons by their names only, the answer is yes as everyone else knows. However, whatever is the truth behind them or about them, we do not know. If you have any information about them, then we hope you will be able to share it with us.” Likewise, a representative from the "Al-Rashideen Army" openly mocked the repeated, insistent demands by Al-Qaida's Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri for Sunni insurgents to join under the banner of Al-Qaida: “There is a problem in Tibet for China—is it possible for me to prescribe the solutions for their problem? We are a people in this region for 6000 years before Christ, end[ing] with Islam, and we are fully capable of rolling and managing our own affairs. We do not need others to tell us what to do.”
[6/4/08]	Iraqi Insurgents Quarrel Over Recognizing International Law The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated two new statements from an emerging Sunni insurgent faction calling itself “the Iraqi Martyrs Brigades.” In its initial statement of purpose, the IMB indicated that its fighters were being guided both by Muslim Shariah law and "contemporary laws ...Our clerics have previously agreed that fighting the enemies who are attacking Muslim countries—by any means necessary—is a duty in and of itself. International contemporary laws maintain the same view as well. Defending yourself against an oppressor is merely common sense for the popular masses.” The IMB also acknowledged that its formation had largely come about because “some of the [jihad] factions deviated from our general guiding principles.” This prompted a flood of users on the extremist Al-Hesbah Internet discussion forum to dismiss the IMB as merely a generic “resistance” organization with no interest in “raising the banner of monotheism and the righteous path—may Allah correct their path.” Other users simply referred to the IMB’s citation of “contemporary laws” as “inappropriate.” In response, the IMB issued a second communique addressed "to the beloved brothers who have posted messages on the Al-Hesbah Internet forum" in order to "clarify matters which you are ignorant of regarding the IMB." The group insisted, “regarding the issue of contemporary laws… it is obvious that we are all part of a shared human civilization which has many universal values. So, we have cited these laws in order to cater to various levels of understand and intelligence present among various different people… These same principles championed by [the West] also are opposed to the concept of occupation.” The IMB also repeated its earlier warning that the Iraqi jihad has “lost its true essence."
[6/2/08]	Islamic Army of Iraq Denies Capture of Leader in Tikrit The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement from the Islamic Army of Iraq, in which the group's spokesman denied the capture of one of the organization's leaders in Tikrit. According to Dr. Ali al-Neeme, "all the leaders of the army – thankfully – [are] safe and continue their struggle in the battlefield against the occupation and its supporters..."
[5/31/08]	Al-Qaida Continues Defiance on Mosul, Claims Suicide Bombing The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new video recording and, separately, a text communiqué from Al-Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). During the video, an unidentified individual presented as the official ISI spokesman for the Nineveh province of Iraq (Mosul) sharply denied reports of the ISI's defeat in the city of Mosul: “we bring the good news to you that we are at our full capabilities, and we have not lost a single soldier—neither killed nor arrested. This reality is totally different from what was published by the mass media of the tyrants, which claimed that more than 1,000 fighters were captured, including an officer and commanders. They also claimed that they had arrested the top commander of the ISI in Nineveh province. This is nothing but lies, fabrications, and the falsification of facts… We are the ones who are in control of the situation, and we will choose the suitable time to respond according to the conditions of the present battle.” Underlining the continuing ferocity of its military campaign in Iraq, the ISI has separately claimed credit for a May 29 suicide bombing targeting the Al-Sadeer Hotel. In a text statement claiming its responsibility for the hotel attack, the ISI further declared, “the signs of victory have appeared in Nineveh province, despite the claims from the stooges of al-Maliki that they have taken control of the city [Mosul] and have wiped out the mujahideen. Today, we bring to the Islamic nation the good news that this land is still under the control of the mujahideen—not the apostates.”
[5/5/08]	Transcript of Audio Message from Abu Omar al-Baghdadi The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a copy of an audio recording released on April 14, 2008 of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the leader of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI). In his audio statement, al-Baghdadi acknowledged “concerns” that were “brought to my attention by several Shaykhs from noble tribes, and they asked me, ‘how long will this Sunni infighting last? Is it not the time for us to turn our weapons only toward the occupier?’ I was overjoyed by their position… After some discussion, an agreement was reached on a joint mission to end the so-called ‘infighting in the Sunni regions between sons of various tribes.” Al-Baghdadi laid out a detailed scheme for peacefully resolving disputes among Sunni mujahideen factions, but warned that “this agreement will remain mere ink on paper unless it is adopted and implemented by religious scholars and the tribal shaykhs.”
[5/3/08]	Former Insurgent Ally Accuses Al-Qaida in Iraq of "Threats" and "Blackmail" The Army of al-Mustafa (a.k.a. “Jaish al-Mustafa”)—a Sunni insurgent group which has claimed credit for at least three joint operations with Al-Qaida’s “Islamic State of Iraq” (ISI) since January 2008—has suddenly broken off relations with the ISI, accusing its local commanders of engaging in “threats” and “blackmail.” In a statement released on April 15, a Jaish al-Mustafa field commander known as “Abu Muslim al-Mosuli” acknowledged a past relationship with the ISI but added, “something has occurred that we never expected would happen: some new leaders from the ISI in Ninewah province have begun to harass our fighters during their operations. The situation escalated to the point of the ISI threatening one of our field commanders with death for no apparent reason… We see no justification for the acts carried out by the brothers from the ISI—they have blackmailed us, threatened us, and seized the assets of the Army of al-Mustafa.” A follow-up statement released by Jaish al-Mustafa on April 16 insisted that the group has no intention of “sabotaging efforts by Shaykh Abu Omar [al-Baghdadi] or any other individual. We would be delighted if such unity and collaboration took place among the various factions.” However, the statement also flatly rejected the premise that the “Army of al-Mustafa” has ever “tried very hard to associate ourselves with the ISI”: “we require no such association… If we had wished to associate ourselves with the ISI, we would have pledged our allegiance to them.”
[4/18/08]	Letter to Al-Qaida in Iraq Leader Abu Ayyab al-Masri During a March 2008 raid northwest of Baghdad, the U.S. military seized a letter -- intended for Al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri -- that was authored by an insurgent named Abu Safyan. In the letter, Abu Safyan advises that "we must always leave the enemy in psychological conflict and worry; thus they can never have stability and keep busy among themselves." He also argues that "we must attempt to place this country in security chaos and wars between the Shia enemy, the Ba’athist and the Americans. This will lead to weaken them particularly the Maliki Shia government by wisely, intelligently and cautiously spreading sedition among them." Notably, he futther suggests that "intelligent and faithful personal" be used to "infiltrate the enemy."
[4/15/08]	"Islamic State of Iraq" Statement Marking 5th Anniversary of U.S. Invasion The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a communiqué issued by Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI) marking the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The statement boasted that, thanks to the existence of the ISI, "instead of speaking about achieving their targets like disbelieving democracy and the new middle east…etc., [the crusaders] are talking about the number of their deaths and wounded soldiers, their economic crisis and the way to solve them and to get out from this mud. Their countdown has started." The ISI also condemned "groups that had a role in the beginning of the jihad in Iraq" but which have since "recoiled"--including the IAI, the Mujahideen Army, and Hamas al-Iraq."
[4/8/08]	Islamic Army of Iraq Statement re: Joint Operation w/ Ansar al-Islam The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of an Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI) communiqué that appears to claim credit for a joint military operation with Ansar al-Islam (AI), also known as the Ansar al-Sunnah Army. Ansar al-Islam is normally a close ally of Al-Qaida in Iraq, and there has been ongoing friction between the Islamic Army of Iraq and Ansar al-Islam over an AI faction that publicly broke off and joined up in an anti-Al-Qaida alliance with the IAI.
[3/20/08]	Transcript of "Hamas in Iraq" Interview The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of an interview with a senior military commander of the Hamas al-Iraq insurgent group in the restive Diyala province of Iraq. During the interview, the unnamed Hamas commander sharply condemned the "criminal actions launched by the Al-Qaida network targeting innocent civilians and... other jihad movements... The occupying forces were unable to enter many districts and villages of Diyala until Al-Qaida paved the way for them when they began killing the Sunnis and demolishing their homes, mosques, and their hospitals." The Hamas al-Iraq commander also addressed allegations of Iranian logistical support for local Al-Qaida operations, and the relationship between Iraqi Hamas and a variety of other organizations--including the Muslim Brotherhood, the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS), the Council of Iraqi Ulema, the Iraqi Islamic Party, the Awakening Councils, the 1920 Revolution Brigades, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Front (JAAMI), the Mujahideen Army, and the Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI).
[2/22/08]	Transcript of Audio Message from Abu Omar al-Baghdadi The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of an audio recording released on February 13 of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the leader of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI).  In his audio statement, al-Baghdadi was sharply critical of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Palestinian territories, accusing it of being responsible for "a chain of treacheries"--including recognizing the authority of international organizations such as the United Nations; entering into "peculiar alliances with the apostate regimes" in Egypt, Syria, and Iran; and displaying "rampant hostility towards the Salafi Jihadists", such emerging regional Al-Qaida factions like Fatah al-Islam and the Army of Islam.  Abu Omar al-Baghdadi expanded his argument further, accusing Muslim Brotherhood organizations across the Middle East of the worst forms of treachery: "The armed organizations that belong to the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas above all others—save for some remaining faithful from amongst the [Izzadeen] al-Qassam [Brigades]--have truly betrayed our religion and the Islamic nation, and they have abandoned the blood of the martyrs... Their brothers in Iraqi Hamas and from the [Iraqi] Islamic Party and the Islamic Army [of Iraq] (IAI) fight today side-by-side with the crusaders against the followers of al-Tawheed."  Al-Baghdadi called upon those from the armed wing of Palestinian Hamas, the Izzadeen al-Qassam Brigades, who remain faithful to the concept of jihad to assemble their forces and encourage others within Hamas to defect to the cause of the Salafi Jihadists.  Addressing the proper role of the ISI in supporting the jihad in Palestine, al-Baghdadi indicated to Palestinian militants that "we are ready to assist you with what meager fortunes we have at our disposal, and we are ready to train your comrades, starting with explosive devices and concluding with manufacturing rockets.”
[2/9/08]	Diary of Al-Qaida in Iraq Leader The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of the diary of Abu Tariq, an Al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) leader who identifies himself as "Emir of al-Lavin and al-Mashadah Sector"; the diary was seized by U.S. military personnel during a raid and provides considerable insight into the current status of some of AQI's operations. Abu Tariq bashes the Sunnis who have abandoned AQI, writing, "We were mistreated, cheated and betrayed by some of our brothers. We must not have mercy on those traitors until they come back to the right side or get eliminated completely in order to achieve victory at the end." He adds that "there are very few tribe members who stood by us."
[2/3/08]	Al-Qaida's ISI Reponds to Ongoing Events in Mosul The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of recent communique issued by the Nineveh province branch of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI). In the statement, the ISI denied responsibility for a deadly explosion on January 23 in the Zanjili neighborhood of Mosul, and strongly criticized "apostate agents" allegedly tasked with "the mission of blaming that repugnant crime on the mujahideen. But... their treachery has been exposed by orders of Allah, and their lies have been clearly revealed to everyone."  The communique further called upon Muslims everywhere to aid in the imminent struggle for control of Mosul: "the battle is now in its final stages, and it will be a energizing victory for the Muslims, Allah willing. The enemy has begun to stagger, and now has reached its final page, so do not let the opportunity to participate in that historic battle pass you by."
[1/8/08]	Online Q&A Chat Session with a Fighter from Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of an online question-and-answer session conducted over the Paltalk chat network with a fighter from Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI). During the interview, the ISI fighter discussed the varying state of relations between the Islamic State and an assortment of other Sunni insurgent organizations, including the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), the Mujahideen Army, the 1920 Revolution Brigades, and Iraqi Hamas. He also boasted of the ISI's plans for a post-occupation Iraq: "sooner or later, the crusaders will withdraw, and you will witness what will happen." When asked how Usama Ben Laden's recent message has impacted the jihad in Iraq, the ISI fighter characterized it as a call to arms and "the opening shot."
[1/4/08]	"Islamic Army of Iraq" Claims Liberation of Sunnis Held Captive by Al-Qaida The NEFA Foundation has obtained a copy of a recent communiqué issued by the prominent Sunni insurgent organization known as the Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI). According to the statement, "After a call from our supporters and brothers in Samarra and its various neighborhoods, mujahideen from the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) launched a blessing attack in the Samarra region and were able to free ten prisoners (the majority of whom were mujahideen and the others being innocent poor people). They had previously been taken captive by Al-Qaida after raids on their bases in the Shaykh Mohammed district south of Samarra...Those who were responsible for this prison were arrested, while the others managed to escape. We will eventually post a complete video-recording."
[12/20/07]	"The Secrets of History: Zarqawi As I Knew Him" The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated the first three episodes from a new series published by Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq", titled "The Secrets of History: Zarqawi As I Knew Him."  The series offers a perspective into the mind of the late Al-Qaida leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his interactions with various lieutenants.  During his narrative, the author scoffs, "they think that we fight for money and prestige—and what they do not understand is that our arteries are filled with the ideology of jihad. Even if they managed to reach Zarqawi, praise be to Allah, we have a million more Zarqawis because our Ummah is the Ummah of jihad.”
[12/16/07]	Ansar al-Sunnah "Reverts" to Ansar al-Islam  The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from the leader of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army in Iraq (JAAS), Commander Abu Abdullah al-Shafi.  In his statement, al-Shafi acknowledges, "After a period of fighting back against the American assault [in 2003], the leadership of Ansar al-Islam decided to withdraw... Shortly thereafter, Allah enabled us to rearrange our movement and we returned in Iraq under the new name of Ansar al-Sunnah... Given our responsibility in maintaining the principles of Islam... and to deal with existential issues that shall determine our survival, we have decided to continue our work under the name of the Ansar al-Islam... We should avoid unnecessary internal battles that serve to do nothing more than empowering our enemy’s political agenda."
[12/10/07]	Message from Abu Omar al-Baghdadi In this audio statement, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the leader of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq," declared the formation of a new armed unit--the Al-Sadeeq Brigade--and the beginning of a military offensive known as the "Battle of the Martyr Abu Umar al-Kurdi": "This offensive will be based on bombs and improvised explosives... Anyone who has already decided to martyr themselves in a suicide attack should execute their attacks during this period... this type of operation [suicide bombings] is the most painful for the enemy and has the most expansive, painful, and terrifying impact upon the enemy." largest and most influential Sunni insurgent groups active in Iraq--has issued yet another stinging condemnation of Al-Qaida's network in Iraq from its media spokesman, Dr. Ali al-Naimi. According to Dr. al-Naimi, Al-Qaida is the "main cause" behind recent "painful events" in Latifiya and Samarra: "It is such a horrific scene that makes the occupiers pleased and is painful to Muslims... we werent expecting that after the speech of Shaykh Usama Bin Laden who announced Al-Qaida's incorrect acts and the need to overcome them."
[11/4/07]	The Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) The Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI)--one of the largest and most influential Sunni insurgent groups active in Iraq--has issued yet another stinging condemnation of Al-Qaida's network in Iraq from its media spokesman, Dr. Ali al-Naimi. According to Dr. al-Naimi, Al-Qaida is the "main cause" behind recent "painful events" in Latifiya and Samarra: "It is such a horrific scene that makes the occupiers pleased and is painful to Muslims... we werent expecting that after the speech of Shaykh Usama Bin Laden who announced Al-Qaida's incorrect acts and the need to overcome them." A copy of this and a digest of other recent statements issued by the IAI can now be accessed c/o NEFA TerrorWatch.
[10/10/07]	1920 Revolution Brigades A response to recent criticisms by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and other spokesmen for Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq." In its statement, the 1920 Brigades dismissed these claims as "an effort at settling a score or possibly even the product of a personal agenda." The 1920 Revolution Brigades also issued its own set of counter-allegations, accusing Al-Qaida in Iraq of engaging in a consistent pattern of treachery, deceit, and murder: "Do not listen to those of your brothers who became enslaved by their own insecurities and fell into a trap Dear brothers you should know that the snake has a head and a tail. The head is the infidel American occupiers, their allies, and their agentsand the tail is your own neighbors who have sought to stray from the principles of Islam and decided instead to be used by the enemy We inform you that the ISIs denials about forcing other jihadi factions into joining the Al-Qaida organization are false, and the evidence for this is our own practical experience dealing with Al-Qaida in Abu Ghraib. They forced one of our brigades, the Jaffar al-Tayyar Brigade, to join them and they kept increasing pressure on them until the brigade was forced to defend itself We would like to remind you that Muharib al-Jabouri (commander of the 1920 Revolution Brigades) was asked to swear an oath of allegiance to Al-Qaida, but he refused because he believed that the Al-Qaida organization had no right either to establish an Islamic State without first consulting other factions nor to fight against those who refuse to join its state. Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened when fighting broke between the 1920 Revolution Brigades and the ISI that persisted until the joint agreement signed [between us]... In reality, the people who were murdered and tortured were fighters from the 1920 Revolution Brigades: Omar Abdel Razaaq and his two friends. Omar was captured [by Al-Qaida] during the cease-fire and resulting peace talks that concluded with the February 4 joint agreement... After Al-Qaida promised not to cause any harm to Omar, his dead body was sent to his family... We wonder, does the Al-Qaida organization look down upon the sacrifices of others and choose only to glorify its own?"
[10/7/07]	Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya (a.k.a. "The Iraqi Jihad Union") A statement warning that arrogant quarreling provoked by Al-Qaida supporters over such chat forums is threatening the integrity of the "Obelisk" network.  In its statement, Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya directly calls upon the leadership of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI) "to put a stop to all the gossiping and hypocrisy [on the chat forums]. We ask them to do this not out of our own weakness but rather due to our larger concerns. The ISI should take ongoing events very seriously because much blood has been shed and many innocent lives have been lost... We warn everyone to stop provoking these internal battles."
[10/5/07]	Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya (a.k.a. "The Iraqi Jihad Union" A statement accusing Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" of killing its fighters in Diyala and desecrating their bodies: "To make things worse, they dug up their bodies from the graves, further mutilated them, beheaded them, and showed them off from their vehicles while driving through the towns. [The ISI] even killed our men's wives and children."
[10/2/07]	"Hamas in Iraq" A statement accusing Al-Qaida's network in Iraq of fanaticism and murdering Iraqi Muslim civilians.
[9/21/07]	"Hamas in Iraq" A statement warning that arrogant quarreling provoked by Al-Qaida supporters over such chat forums is threatening the integrity of the "Obelisk" network. In fact, according to "Iraqi Hamas"--they "are so desperate to prove their positions and criticize others that they have sunk to the lowest level by searching for private messages of certain individuals sent to [forum] administrators."
[9/14/07]	Message from Abu Omar al-Baghdadi In recent weeks, Al-Qaida-led terrorist franchises in Afghanistan and Iraq have released several new recordings of speeches by senior Al Qaeda leaders. This audio recording, released on September 14 from Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the commander of Al Qaeda's "Islamic State of Iraq," is particularly significant -- especially to those who follow the very serious internal schisms opening up between Al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood in Iraq. In his address, al-Baghdadi directly attacks other Sunni insurgent groups -- such as the 1920 Revolution Brigades, Hamas in Iraq, and the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Front (JAAMI) -- as "backstabbing" traitors who have abandoned their commitment to jihad. Al-Baghdadi also reserves a strong dose of vitriol for the "degenerate crusader nation of Sweden", where cartoons were recently published that were viewed as disrespectful to the Prophet Mohammed. In response, al-Baghdadi promises to launch punitive terrorist attacks by mid-October on Swedish "industrial giants" such as Volvo, Scandia, Ikea, and Ericsson -- in addition to killing both the cartoon artist himself and his Swedish editor.

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