Kurdistan Newsline
Sermon of Hate

Halabja, May 18—The leader of the Al Qaeda affiliate Ansar al-Islam, Mala Krekar is threatening to unleash a new terror campaign in Iraqi Kurdistan if the Kurdistan Regional Government does not meet its demands. The independent newspaper Hawal has obtained a copy of an audiocassette of a Friday sermon given on April 26, 2002, in Biyara, in which Krekar gives a vituperative laundry list of demands, ranging from extortionist demands for funds and license to operate without hindrance in Kurdistan region, for the purpose of imposing by force its sterile medievalist version of Islam. He makes direct threats against Patriotic Union of Kurdistan if their demands are not met: “ PUK is maneuvering to avoid a fight but Ansar al-Islam is eager to take them on in a decisive battle”. And: “ I advise our militants who want conduct suicide operations to be patient as the coming battle will be of several rounds. We should choose the time and place for suicide missions. We shall teach PUK a lesson stronger than the ones inflicted on the Israelis by the Palestinian suicidal elements”.

Ansar al-Islam is an Al Qaeda group (300-400 members) mostly of Afghani Arabs, recruited, trained, financed and controlled by Same bin Laden. Al Qaeda specialists in Afghanistan have prepared most of its leaders and terrorist elements for their roles. The group is ensconced in a narrow mountainous strip in Biyara and Tawela along the Iraqi-Iranian borders. The group is a direct successor to the Jund Al Islam clique, which decided to “ re-brand” itself in order to shift attention from its murderous recent past. In their quest to spread their extremist agenda, Ansar al-Islam has committed numerous atrocities against secular political leaders and civilians, as well a campaign of intimidation against women and others to force them to adhere to their brand of Salafi-Wahhabist version of Islam. The plot to assassinate the KRG Regional Prime Minister Dr. Barham Salih in Sulaimani on April 2, in which five members of his staff were murdered, is directly traced to the leadership of Ansar of Islam; in particular Mala Krekar , by security analysts in the region. Two of the dead assailants have been identified as long-time members of the terror group and the third one, who was injured in the attack, has given detailed information about the operation and ring leaders of the plot to the Assayish ( Security) organization of the KRG.

Fifth Column for the Republic of Fear and Terror 

The important question being asked is what is behind the emergence of the Al Qaeda affiliate in Iraqi Kurdistan and speculation about the motivation behind their terror activities and who benefits from their campaign?  All indications are that Ansar al-Islam has been infiltrated into Iraqi Kurdistan as an affiliate of Al Qaeda , and in an unholy alliance with the Iraqi intelligence service Mukhabarat,  in order to destabilize the Kurdistan region’s   democratic and secular experiment in the safe haven .

The members of the factions, including Mala Krekar, that eventually formed Ansar al-Islam spent a great deal of time in Afghanistan. The original Jund al-Islam had been launched as a result of direct instructions from Al Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former chief of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and later Osama bin Laden’s deputy. Three Arab-Afghans who supplied the organization with three hundred thousand dollars in seed money oversaw the formation of the group. Two of them by the name of Abu Yasir and Abu Muzaham are high-ranking Al Qaeda members.

According to recent intelligence information obtained by the Assayish the real leader of Ansar al-Islam is an Iraqi Arab who calls himself Abu Wael, who had also spent considerable time in bin Laden’s training camp. But in reality he is a high-ranking officer of Iraq’s Mukhabarat. His control officer is Abu Agab, based in the city of Kirkuk, and in charge of the northern bureau of the Mukhabrat.

 Kurdish Leaders’ Response

The two major political parties of the region Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party have realized the seriousness of the threat posed by the terrorist agenda of Ansar al-Islam against the stability and welfare of the people by adopting a joint policy and program to combat terrorism. The two leaders Jalal Talabani and Masoud Barzani recently agreed to establish a joint security operation room for that very purpose. Public opinion in Kurdistan overwhelmingly supports strong anti-terrorism measures. In a speech given in the city of Koya on May 15, Mr. Talabani addressed the issue of Ansar al-Islam misdeeds by emphasizing that PUK and KDP are unified in their view toward all issues of national interest and safety of the people of the region. He added: “ PUK is proud of its democratic approach and tradition.  For PUK and Kurdistan Regional Government , democracy and open society are essential ingredients of civic culture. With regard to the Ansar al-Islam faction, I have been criticized by many for following a patient and peaceful policy to deal with the matter. PUK does its utmost to avoid the shedding of blood. We believe in the political process and dialogue as a means of addressing public issues. We have tried our best to persuade those who have been misled by this misguided group, with the help of many people of goodwill, including members of the mainstream Islamic groups, to desist from their evil agenda. We consider our regional government responsible for the safety and welfare of every citizen. The rule of law must prevail. This is not from a position of weakness. The contrary is the case. As everyone knows from the long history of our liberation movement, we’ve seen the wolf many a time and we haven’t been deterred. We will not allow terrorism to thrive in our midst. This scourge of terrorism which is worldwide must not be tolerated”.