Here we go again...Iraq 3.0?

Fleeing the Monster of Mosul: 500,000 escape Iraq's second biggest city after it 'falls like a plane without an engine' to warlord more 'virulent and violent than Bin Laden'

Islamist militants effectively took control of Mosul yesterday after four days of heavy fighting
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, 43, known as Adu Dua, has emerged as one of the world's most lethal terrorist leaders
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant now controls territory in eastern Syria and western and central Iraq
US said the development showed Isis is a threat to the entire region as its seizes more power
Mosul is in one of the world's richest oil provinces - last night militants advanced into the oil refinery town of Baiji
Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki asked parliament to declare a state of emergency to give him more powers
Militants have seized the Turkish consulate in Mosul with diplomatic staff inside

PUBLISHED: 08:29 GMT, 11 June 2014 | UPDATED: 12:45 GMT, 11 June 2014

Mosul emergency: Who is the jihadi leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi?

He began to appear from the shadows in the summer of 2010 when he became leader of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) after its former leaders were killed in an attack by US and Iraqi troops. AQI was at a low point in its fortunes, as the Sunni rebellion, in which it had once played a leading role, was collapsing. It was revived by the revolt of the Sunni in Syria in 2011 and, over the next three years by a series of carefully planned campaigns in both Iraq and Syria. How far al-Baghdadi is directly responsible for the military strategy and tactics of ISIS, once called AQI, is uncertain: former Iraqi army and intelligence officers from the Saddam era are said to play a crucial role, but are under al-Baghdadi’s overall leadership.

Independent

The Middle East's most wanted: Hunt for the terrorist nicknamed 'The Ghost' who is too radical even for Al Qaeda

New image released by Iraqi government of leader of hard line rebel group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
ISIS attacks and brutal rule deemed so harsh Al Qaeda has formally distanced itself from the group
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is known as 'The Ghost' to enemies in the pro-Assad Lebanese Shi-ite militia Hizballah

By SARAH MICHAEL

PUBLISHED: 01:28 GMT, 24 February 2014 | UPDATED: 05:59 GMT, 24 February 2014

Dailymail

ISIS leader al-Baghdadi proves formidable enemy

The picture released by the Iraqi Interior Ministry on Jan. 29 of the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was a first-of-its-kind breakthrough since US forces showed a picture of him when he was detained in Bucca prison (southern Iraq) between 2005 and 2009.

Mushreq Abbas February 5, 2014

Al Monitor

Al-Qaeda and ISIS: The Renunciation of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

By: Radwan Mortada

Published Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The Islamic State of Iraq, which later became the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), was never really a subordinate of al-Qaeda. The groups’ relationship dates back to 2003, when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi swore an oath of allegiance to Osama bin Laden. The religious dispute between the two jihadi groups, however, is new, as all reconciliation attempts have so far failed.

A statement attributed to al-Qaeda, published by the Fajr Media Center, a jihadi propaganda platform, announced that al-Qaeda has no official ties to ISIS. According to the statement, al-Qaeda was never notified, consulted, or approached about the founding of ISIS. Instead, the statement continued, al-Qaeda has called for dissolving the group, stressing that ISIS “is not a branch of Qaedat al-Jihad [al-Qaeda], and has no organizational ties to it.”

Al Akhbar

Bay'ah to Baghdadi: Foreign Support for Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham

by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Jihadology
August 22, 2013

Over the past couple of months, jihadi media outlets have circulated numerous photos and statements indicating support from various places abroad for Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) as the group has expanded its influence in Syria and has experienced a resurgence in Iraq. Below is a selection of those gestures of support, and the analytical implications.

Saudi Arabia

The gestures of support from Saudi Arabia primarily take the form of anonymous individuals holding placards declaring admiration for ISIS. Note that the photos below are not in chronological order. The ideological inclinations of the placard-holders are made clear by calling Saudi Arabia 'Bilad al-Haramain' ('Land of the Two Sanctuaries'- referencing Mecca and Medina).

Untitled13

Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi

Is ISIS bigger than al-Qaeda?

Sunday, 11 May 2014

The recent arrest of 62 people in Saudi Arabia for collecting donations, coordinating the smuggling of individuals and weapons, terrorist planning to assassinate Saudi officials, and bomb government buildings is raising alarm about support networks of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - or ISIS. ISIS is gaining adherents throughout the al-Qaeda universe including AQAP in Yemen.

The fear is that ISIS, which is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is quickly replacing al-Qaeda central headed by Ayman al-Zawahiri. The warning signs were apparent in late 2013 when al-Baghdadi started to distance himself and ISIS from al-Qaeda. Now ISIS is starting to transplant operations to neighboring states, branching out to its first target, the Saudi Kingdom. This development is dangerous.

Al Arabiya

SELF DECLARED CALIPH ABU BAKR AL-BAGHDADI OF ISIS THE PROPHESIED FALSE CALIPH ?

The Wahhabis usually disregard, downplay and even mock any importance for the lineage of Prophet Muhammed (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and they make secular equalitarian arguments against traditionalist Muslims in regards to this. But recently all of a sudden some of the takfiri Wahhabis of ISIS (a savage Khawarij cult group that is slaughtering Muslims in Syria, and made of mostly foreigners like Saudis and other takfiris from foreign countries), have been quite flashy in displaying a long name for their leader “Amīr ul-Mu’minīn – Abū Bakr Al-Ḥusaynī Al-Qurashī Al-Baghdādī”. Praise be to Allah, our Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) taught us enough to respond to such false claimants. The following is a narration from Abu Dawud:

WAHHABISM UNVEILED

EVEN AL-QAIDA FEARS NEW IRAQI LEADER

Among threats: War on America over Bin Laden's death

Published: 01/14/2014 at 8:52 PM

WASHINGTON – He’s regarded by some as a rising star in the ranks of al-Qaida, but Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, also known as Abu Dua, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, could end up on the terminal path of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi over his ruthlessness and desire to take more control, sources report.

Ayman al-Zawahiri has been the acknowledged leader of al-Qaida since Osama bin Laden’s demise, but Baghdadi has shown open defiance by challenging Zawahiri’s leadership.

The last al-Qaida upstart to be in a similar position was Zarqawi, a Jordanian who was killed in 2006 by U.S. forces in Iraq, possibly tipped off by al-Qaida itself to eliminate the rogue fighter, U.S. and foreign analysts have told WND.

Zarqawi headed the Jamaat al-Tawid wal-Jihad al-Qaida in Iraq and was known for his ruthlessness, especially in killing other Muslims and instigating bombings and beheadings during the Iraq war.

He personally cut off the head of businessman Nick Berg, a U.S. citizen whose decapitation was videotaped and distributed.

WND

Iraq loses control of Fallujah to Al-Qaeda-linked group

Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant is battling security forces and tribesmen in Anbar province

January 4, 2014 11:04AM ET Updated 2:17PM ET

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki vowed Saturday to eliminate "all terrorist groups" from Anbar province as a security source conceded the government had lost control of Fallujah to Al-Qaeda-linked fighters.

Maliki, speaking on state television, said his government would end "fitna," or disunity, in the province and would "not back down until we end all terrorist groups and save our people in Anbar."

The overrunning of Fallujah and Ramadi this week by the group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Sunni heartland of western Anbar provinces is a blow to the Shia-led government of Malik. His government has been struggling to contain discontent among the Sunni minority over Shia political domination that has flared into increased violence for the past year.

On Friday, ISIL gunmen sought to win over the population in Fallujah, one of the cities they swept into on Wednesday. A commander appeared among worshippers holding Friday prayers in the main city street, proclaiming that his fighters were there to defend Sunnis from the government, one resident said.

Al Jazeera America

Iraq loses Fallujah to al-Qaeda

05 JANUARY 2014

US Secretary of State John Kerry says America will help Iraq fight al-Qaeda-linked militants - but not with troops - after the government loses control of the key city of Fallujah.

Iraqi government forces battling an al-Qaeda offensive launched an air strike on Ramadi city on Sunday, killing 25 Islamist militants, according to local officials.

The move came after local government officials in western Anbar province met tribal leaders to urge them to help repel al-Qaeda-linked militants who have taken over parts of Ramadi and Fallujah, strategic Iraqi cities on the Euphrates river.

Channel4

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Comment by Ragnarok on June 11, 2014 at 5:36pm

Iraq city of Tikrit falls to ISIL fighters

Gunmen from the Islamic State of Iraq take city and launch attacks on Kirkuk and Samarra, a day after the fall of Mosul.

Last updated: 11 Jun 2014 19:29

Sources told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that gunmen had set up checkpoints around Tikrit, which lies between the capital Baghdad and Mosul, Iraq's second largest city which was captured by ISIL on Tuesday.

"All of Tikrit is in the hands of the militants," a police colonel told the AFP news agency. A police brigadier general told AFP that fighters attacked from the north, west and south of the city, and that they were from ISIL.

A police major told the agency that the militants had freed about 300 inmates from a prison in the city, which is the capital of Salaheddin province.

Iraqi state television reported that special forces soldiers were fighting to regain control of city. Sources claimed the Iraqi soldiers had cleared the city of ISIL, but these reports remain unverified.

Meanwhile, sources said the nearby city of Kirkuk, home to Iraq's biggest oil refinery, was also being attacked by ISIL. Fighters had guaranteed the safety of Iraqi soldiers if they gave up their weapons.

In Samarra, south of Tikrit, witnesses told AFP that fighters had arrived in trucks mounted with machineguns, while a policeman said his unit was involved in fighting at the northwest entrance the city.

Al Jazeera

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