IS Arabic language magazine an-Naba #45 published today an exclusive picture of Abu Muhammad al-Adnani (via Coffee and News)
Amaq media outlet affiliated with Islamic State has confirmed the death of Abu Mohamed al-Adnani (39) second most senior leader of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) after Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Adnani was targeted by a US air strike on Tuesday in the town of al-Bab, Aleppo province, Syria. He was killed “while surveying military operations in Halab Wilayah.”
IS statement,
Back in 2000, Adnani (whose real name was Taha Sobhi Falaha) gave allegiance to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who had earlier fought in Afghanistan where he met Osama bin Laden.
Sheikh Abu Turki bin Mubarek al-Benali who wrote a biography of Adnani stated,
“He was summoned by the Nusayri state security agency repeatedly from early on in his youth and was interrogated. He was arrested three times by the Nusayris on the pretext of preaching jihad, once in Abu-Kamal on his way into Iraq for the first time. He was jailed for months and was let go for refusing to disclose information, despite the injuries sustained due to torture.
He was imprisoned by the Americans twice, and was once jailed for nearly six years. He was put in a tent with Zarqawi and other prominent individuals who knew the first line of fighters with Zarqawi, rahimu’Allah.”
See following link for detailed background on Adnani,
“A Biography of IS Spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani as-Shami by Sheikh Abu Turi bin Mubarak al-Benali”
Adnani relocated to Syria and went on to become spokesperson for Islamic State and allegedly head of the Emni, the Secret Service of IS which plotted external terror attacks. The US put a 5 million dollar bounty on his head. Journalist Rukmini Callimachi who interviewed German member of ISIS Harry Sarfo, stated,
“It’s Harry who spelled it out for me: Adnani, he said, is head of the Emni, ISIS’ secret service. He is also the head of propaganda. He described how Adnani chaired a monthly meeting where ISIS reviewed all the gory videos they had shot and decided which to promote. The propaganda goes hand-in-hand with terror plots in West. Before the Nov. 13 attack, we saw endless ISIS video threats against France.”
Adnani encouraged Muslims to carry out attacks in European countries including France. The Telegraph reported, “he urged Muslims to ‘kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French,”’adding: ‘Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him.’”
Peter Cook, spokesman for the Pentagon confirmed the strike on Adnani posting the following on Twitter,
“Statement on Precision Airstrike Targeting Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani”
Press Operations
Release No: NR-307-16
Aug. 30, 2016
“Today coalition forces conducted a precision strike near Al Bab, Syria, targeting Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani, one of ISIL’s most senior leaders. We are still assessing the results of the strike, but Al-Adnani’s removal from the battlefield would mark another significant blow to ISIL. Al-Adnani has served as principal architect of ISIL’s external operations and as ISIL’s chief spokesman. He has coordinated the movement of ISIL fighters, directly encouraged lone-wolf attacks on civilians and members of the military and actively recruited new ISIL members. The U.S. military will continue to prioritize and relentlessly target ISIL leaders and external plotters in order to defend our homeland, our allies and our partners, while we continue to gather momentum in destroying ISIL’s parent tumor in Iraq and Syria and combat its metastases around the world.”
Mostafa Mahamed, Director of Foreign Media Relations – JFS (Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) rebel group fighting in Syria had the following to say on the death of Adnani in a series of tweets,
“When daesh loses a tyrant, it can be nothing but good for Muslims. Yes, I am with the millions of Muslims who are glad that Adnani is dead.”
“Adnani was not just a mouthpiece for a sinister group of thugs; he was a passionate advocator of eradicating Muslims in the name of Jihad.”
“Split open their heads with a spray of bullets & extract the contents…”was Adnani’s official stance in dealing with mujahideen in Syria.”
“Remember the honorable men slaughtered in front of their children because of Adnani. Remember #TheGemOfIdlib, Abu Muhammad Fateh Rahmoun.”
Adnani did not believe that IS exists on the cult of one or two men at the top of the leadership and predicted they would continue evolving long after current key figures perished. IS relish death and any threats to their existence are met with even greater force. Perhaps with a view to his own mortality, Adnani wrote the following words in May 2016,
Adnani said,
“Listen America; Crusaders; Jews, your armies & groups will not scare us. Your threats & campaigns will not derail us.”
“You won’t win & you’ll be defeated. Do you believe that victory is by killing one leader or more? Then it’s a false victory.”
He also stated,
“To lone-wolves in U.S. and Europe: ‘Know that targeting so-called civilians is more beloved to us, more brutal & painful to them.'”
Threat of revenge attack
There are fears retaliation attacks for Adnani’s death may be in the offing and security services across Europe will be on high alert aiming to prevent any imminent threat. As Amaq made clear in the statement released, “the blood of their (IS) leaders will only increase their steadfastness upon the path of Jihad and increase their resolve to extract revenge against the enemies and strike out against them.”
Links
“Senior Isil commander killed in Aleppo”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/30/senior-isil-operative-killed-in-aleppo/
“Islamic State: Al Furqan media releases audio of Adnani… threats to the west and responses”
“Islamic State: Shaykh Adnani ‘O People Respond to the Caller of Allah” (English translation'”
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 