Counter-insurgency insurgents

[rubberneck]

It seems as if the forgien fighters in Iraq may have a little more to fear than just US troops (as if that weren't enough) nowadays. I wonder what you guys think of this.


Iraqi Group Threatens to Kill Al-Zarqawi

1 hour, 45 minutes ago Add Top Stories - AP to My Yahoo!


By TAREK EL-TABLAWY, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A group of armed, masked Iraqi men threatened Tuesday to kill Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi if he did not immediately leave the country, accusing him of murdering innocent Iraqis and defiling the Muslim religion.



The threats revealed the deep anger many Iraqis, including insurgent groups, feel toward foreign fighters, whom many consider as illegitimate a presence here as the 160,000 U.S. and other coalition troops.


In a videotape sent to the al-Arabiya television station, a group calling itself the "Salvation Movement," questioned how al-Zarqawi could use Islam to justify the killing of innocent civilians, the targeting of government officials and the kidnapping and beheading of foreigners.


"He must leave Iraq (news - web sites) immediately, he and his followers and everyone who gives shelter to him and his criminal actions," said a man on the video.


The video marked the first time that an Iraqi group made such a public threat against al-Zarqawi.


It was issued a day after U.S.-led coalition forces, who have been targeting al-Zarqawi, launched an air strike in the restive city of Fallujah on a suspected safe house used by his followers. The attack killed 15 people, witnesses said.


In the video, three men, their faces covered with Arab headscarves, were flanked by rocket propelled grenades and an Iraqi flag. The man speaking had a clear Iraqi accent.


"We swear to Allah that we have started preparing ... to capture him and his allies or kill them and present them as gift to our people." the man said. "This is the last warning. If you don't stop, we will do to you what the coalition forces have failed to do."


Al-Zarqawi, said to be connected to al-Qaida, is believed to be behind a series of coordinated attacks on police and security forces that killed 100 people only days before U.S. forces handed over power to an Iraqi interim government.


His followers have also claimed responsibility for the beheading of American businessman Nicholas Berg and South Korean translator Kim Sun-il.


The attacks have led to fears that religious fanatics and Saddam loyalists may be joining forces to fight both the multinational force and the new Iraqi government, increasing violence that has wracked the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) 14 months ago.

[Sacamuelas]

Iraq's "Salvation Movement" = Colombia's PEPES (People Against Pablo Escobar)

Looks like someone reads our papers, watches our history channel, and follows examples(whether right or wrong) from prior US engagements.

Will this hurt or help the efforts of the Iraqi and coalition governments to root out the insurgency? Or do you think this will be another group that ends up having to be rooted out because it undermines the "rule of law"?

[VMI_Marine]

I'm all for Iraqis handling their own problems, but vigilantes are often only a small step removed from terrorists, and perhaps more often are simply a different brand of terrorist. If these guys whack Al-Zarqawi or are otherwise instrumental in his removal without harming innocents or going on a rampage like PEPES, I say let them be. I seriously doubt it, though. Otherwise they will have to be pursued and dealt with just like the rest.

Another important question is the Salvation Movement's attitude towards Coalition forces and the Iraqi government. Are they simply trying to remove some of the foreign influence from their insurgency, or are they pro-government?