Iran Financed Terrorists in Iraq – 29 August Update

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Iraq’s senior leadership was given a report by the Iraqi Intelligence Service indicating the existence of three terrorist organizations or groups which carry the name of al-Qaeda – two of which are financed by Iran.

The first organization is linked with the al-Quds Brigade (Failaq al-Quds) under the supervision of General Qassim Suleimani. It has recruited citizens from the provinces of Baghdad, al-Anbar, and Mosul trained in Iran but redirected into Iraq through other Arab countries to carry out murders, kidnappings, and bombings against targets in their respective provinces.

The second organization is known as the Islamic State of Iraq, led by Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, an Egyptian citizen with connections to al-Qaeda. The activities of this group have been constrained because many of its leaders have been killed or captured. However, they still continue to carry out assassination and bombings.

The third group is Ansar al-Islam, which is active in Iraqi Kurdistan and the other provinces in northern Iraq. The leadership of the group receives its orders from Iran and has occasionally suspended its activities for political reasons.

The intelligence report focused on a pivotal point regarding a change in the tactics used by Iran, which is to send terrorists to Iraq from other neighboring countries [most likely Syria] to remove any suspicion of Iranian involvement. This new tactic has enabled the Iranians to recruit a large number of people, several times the number of traditional agents who work with the al-Quds Brigade in Iraq. Political quarters with strong connections in Iran have refused to deal with the report, because of the sensitive issues it raises and because it concluded that Gen. Suleimani is the principal organizer of large-scale bombings aimed at destabilizing Iraq, and was behind the deadly bombings in Baghdad on August 19.

Intelligence sources claim that Iraqi intelligence chief Muhammad al-Shahwani has resigned in the wake of information he submitted about Iranian involvement in the August 19 bombings.  Sources in the Iraqi Intelligence Service maintain that the Service has submitted information over the last 6 months about the al-Quds Brigade carrying out bombings of churches and Shi’ite mosques, which reached its zenith on August 19. According to these sources, al-Shahwani attended a high-level security meeting at which he presented information as well as video and audio documentation, in addition to information from inside Iran, about the instruments that were planned to be used on August 19. A number of senior officials, associated with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have insisted that Iran was not officially accused in the bombings or in the bombing of the churches and the mosques. As a result, al-Shahwani has submitted his resignation and left Iraq [there is conflicting news from Baghdad as to whether al-Shahwani has resigned or was forced to retire.] Instead, Iraqi authorities have prepared a fabricated story [accusing a senior Ba'th member of the bombing; see Senior Iraqi Ba'th Official In Syria Behind Attacks In Iraq]; Terrorism in Baghdad: The Iranian Connection]instead of laying the blame on the al-Quds Brigade and its role in Iraq.

UPDATE

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.”

An English translation of the Al-Qaida communique can be downloaded from the NEFA Foundation website.