Al-Qaeda creates suicide squad
2005-06-21 20:32
Cairo - In a bid to deflect criticism that most suicide bombers in Iraq are foreigners, al-Qaeda group in Iraq has purportedly formed a unit of potential suicide attackers who are exclusively Iraqis.
The terror group announced the unit on Tuesday in an internet posting signed by Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, the spokesperson of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The posting could not be authenticated, but it appeared on an Islamic website known for carrying messages from militant groups.
The United States-led multinational force and the Iraqi government had repeatedly said that most of the suicide bombers - who had killed hundreds of people - were foreigners who had came to Iraq to wage what they regarded as "holy war".
'Dozens register to meet their God'
Tuesday's posting said: "In response to God's decree and the heavy insistence of the Iraqi brothers and their longing for paradise, the Ansar platoon from the land of Iraq has been formed."
The posting said: "Dozens hurried to register their names to meet their God."
It told of one Iraqi youth who had rebuked his leader for failing to give him a suicide assignment, telling him he would complain to God on the day of judgment because "you prevented me from meeting my God".
Al-Qaeda in Iraq was led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian.
It had claimed responsibility for many of the bloodiest attacks on coalition and Iraqi targets since the 2003 overthrow of the dictator, Saddam Hussein.
- AP