Zarqawi Successor

The USG Open Source Center translates:

'Report on Islamic Fundamentalists' Opinions on al-Zarqawi's Successor
Report from London by Muhammad al-Shaf'i: "Fundamentalists differ on personality of Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir, concur he is a non-Iraqi Shari'a scholar and will be more Zarqaw-yish and violent"

Al-Sharq al-Awsat (Internet Version-WWW)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006 T16:45:28Z

Journal Code: 1431 Language: ENGLISH Record Type: FULLTEXT
Document Type: OSC Translated Text
Word Count: 815

A prominent Egyptian fundamentalist leader has expressed the view that Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir, the successor of al-Zarqawi at the head of the Emirate of Al-Qa'ida Organization in Iraq (expression similar to the one once used for Taliban in Afghanistan), will be more Zarqawi-yish and prone to violence than Abu-Mus'ab himself who was killed by US forces last week. Fundamentalist web sites were meanwhile abuzz yesterday with entries of fundamentalists proclaiming their fealty to al-Muhajir. A fundamentalist leader living outside Britain, who requested that his name not be disclosed, told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir hails from the land of the Levant, that he is reputed to be well versed in Shari'a science, and that he was one of the founders of the organization along with Abu-Mus'ab al-Zarqawi.

For his part, Dr Hani al-Siba'i told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir is a theorist in Shar'ia theology and is known for his previous track record in jihad. He pointed out that Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir is not Iraqi, but is from one of the Arab countries close to Iraq, most likely from Saudi Arabia or Egypt or from the Levant.

He pointed out that the Al-Qa'ida Organization in Iraq is a universal organization which considers the blood of all Muslims as equal (sacrosanct) and seeks to place their lowest in rank on par with all so that he would participate in upholding Islam, and that Muslims must be as one hand against all others, according to one of the Prophet's hadith sayings. He elaborated that al-Muhajir will try to prove that he is no less zealous or courageous than al-Zarqawi through an operation which will take US forces in Iraq by surprise even though they are in a state of alert.

As to whether al-Muhajir had a record of combat in Afghanistan, like most leaders of similar organizations, Dr al-Siba'i said: "I think that he must have a record, for no one rises to a high rank on the grapevine of these organizations by jumping the ladder. It is basic that he would have won confidence and proven himself in actual combat. Perhaps Abu-Hamzah is one of those who traveled to Afghanistan or Bosnia or any combat place, or began military action since the Americans first entered Iraq, or perhaps he has carried out many famous operations recorded in the annals of the organization". He added: "He is reputed to be knowledgeable about Shari'a through his writings, and he has an article on the Internet entitled "Today's Samaritan". So it is not just that he is a combatant carrying arms, for only those who combine Shari'a and military qualifications rise to the rank of Emir or deputy Emir, as was the case with al-Zarqawi. This exists in all grapevine organizations in which fealty is proclaimed voluntarily to a specific person".

Al-Siba'i also said that the personality of al-Muhajir will be defined with the first voice tape that he puts on the Internet, as was the case previously with Anas al-Shami (Umar Juma'a), the information official of Al-Qa'ida in Iraq who has been replaced by Abu-Maysarah al-Iraqi.

Meanwhile Libyan Islamist Nu'man Bin Uthman told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that he knows no one by that name who fought in Afghanistan during the years of the war against the Russians in which he himself took part. Bin Uthman pointed out that the probability was 90% that al-Muhajir was from the land of the Levant. He said that he was probably from the generation which emerged in Iraq following the September attacks.

Fundamentalist sites close to Al-Qa'ida yesterday posted an article written by Abu-Hamzah al-Muhajir in 2004 under the title "Today's Samaritan', in which he spoke of the story of the Samaritan during the time of Allah's Prophet Moses. At the same time he tells us about the story of today's Samaritan, that man who foresees what the people do not. Al-Muhajir added: "The Samaritan of old arrogantly and haughtily refused to accept advice and concede mistakes, even without repenting to Allah. So the tours of Evil are many but Righteousness has only one tour and one round in which Evil is obliterated and finished off."

Elaborating, al-Muhajir added: "Allah's Victory is inevitably coming, and the dawn of the Caliphate has begun to break through the pitch darkness of the night which has lengthened the Nation's slumber and its humiliation, allowing its enemies to overwhelm it. They have a date with the morning and the morning is not far off".

(Description of Source: London Al-Sharq al-Awsat (Internet Version-WWW) in Arabic -- Influential Saudi-owned London daily providing independent coverage of Arab and international issues; editorials reflect official Saudi views on foreign policy)

Juan Cole Home Page