Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog

Aftermath of attack in Sousse, Tunisia (image EPA)

Ramadan 2015 is likely to continue to be a bloody month in terms of terrorist attacks. Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, spokesperson for Islamic State (IS) earlier called for Muslims to mark the holy month of Ramadan by carrying out acts of “jihad” (holy war) and that those doing so would be rewarded for their actions.

IS has now accepted responsibility for Friday’s attack on the tourist resort of Sousse, Tunisia where 39 people died, as Prime Minister David Cameron stated, “people must be prepared for the fact that many of those who died were British”. The perpetrator was named as Abu Yahya Qayrawani (nom de guerre) on IS linked social media accounts who was shot dead by security forces. (Tunisian authorities name him as Seifeddine Rezgui according to BBC).

As Jon Williams (ABC) tweeted,

ISIS claims it was behind #Sousse attack: Abu Yahya Al Qayrawani targeted “vile dens of whoring, blasphemy & vice”.

He earlier tweeted,

US officials say #Tunisia attacker dressed as tourist in shorts, t-shirt with umbrella! Inside umbrella was AK47! Then opened fire. #Sousse

A witness of the attack told the Daily Mail, he was laughing and joking around, like a normal guy. He was choosing who to shoot. Some people, he was saying to them ‘you go away’. He was choosing tourists, British, French.” As Al Jazeera reported, Rafik Chelli, a senior interior ministry official, said “he was a student, unknown to authorities and not on any watchlist.” Al Qayranwani is alleged to have come from the city of Kairouan which saw clashes in 2013 between authorities and Salafi group, Ansar al Sharia, (Salafis are fundamentalists who believe in a return to the original ways of Islam) see following link,

“How to deal with Tunisia’s Salafists”

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/21/tunisia-salafists-ennahda-crackdown

Abu Yahya Qayrawani allegedly responsible for attack at Moussa, Tunisia

Alleged claim of responsibility from Islamic State

Islamic State affiliated group in Saudi Arabia named Najd Province have already claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack on the Shia mosque of al Emam Al Sadiq in Kuwait City which left 27 dead and over 200 injured. The bomber was reported in Reuters as being Abu Suleiman al- Muwahed who blew himself up as worshippers attended Friday prayers. A statement on social media claimed he was targeting a “temple of rejectionists” referring to Shia as heretics. There were allegations that the mosque was working to revert Sunni Muslims to the Shia sect. A photo of the alleged bomber was circulated on social media, see below….

Abu Suleiman al- Muwahed allegedly responsible for Kuwait mosque attack

Alleged claim of responsibility from Islamic State

No group has yet claimed responsibility for another terrorist attack on the Air Products chemical factory in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, near Lyons in south-west France on Friday. Yassin Salhi (35) from Saint-Priest, near Lyon has been detained and 3 others also arrested. Salhi was known to be linked to Salafists in Lyon and was under surveillance until 2008 after concerns he had become radicalized. According to Soren Kern of the New York Daily News, Salafism is the “the fastest-growing Islamic movement in Europe”. The name Salafi comes from as-salaf as-saliheen which refers to the ‘pious predecessors’ of the early Muslim community which in traditional Islamic scholarship means someone who died within the first four hundred years after the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Special forces respond to attack on Bardo Museum, Tunisia (image, Guardian)

Returning to Tunisia, the country is still reeling from an attack on the Bardo Museum which left 22 tourists dead.

In March 2015, I wrote an article on how Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Bardo attack publishing their comment in IS publication Dabiq no 8 (March 2015) also making reference to the assault on “two temples” in Saana, Yemen. The attackers are named as, Abū Zakariyyā at-Tūnusī and Abū Anas at-Tūnusī, (those that join jihadist groups are often given new nom de guerre which can be confusing to the public). IS stated,

‘this month, the soldiers of the Khilāfah sent a forceful message to the camp of kufr and riddah, striking and terrorizing them in multiple lands, and with no visas, borders, and passports to stand in the way. Strikes were carried out in Yemen and Tunisia by men whose allegiance lies, not with a false citizenship, but with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. They readily sacrificed themselves for the cause of Allah in their own lands, bringing massacre to the disbelievers and murtaddīn, not differentiating between them on grounds of nationalism.’

‘in the city of Tunis, two soldiers of the Islamic State carried out an assault on kāfir tourists in the Bardo National Museum. The two mujāhidīn, Abū Zakariyyā at-Tūnusī and Abū Anas at-Tūnusī, were sent on their mission after having trained with their brothers in Libya and having declared their bay’ah to the Khalīfah (hafidhahullāh). They returned to Tunisia, bravely advanced towards the security quarter in Tunis, entered the museum – located across from the Tunisian parliament – and poured terror on the kuffār inside, killing more than 20 of them and injuring a dozen others. They then faced off against the local murtadd security forces with their AK assault rifles, hand grenades, and explosive belts, and were killed fī sabīlillāh.

The operation succeeded in bringing anguish to a number of the nations involved in the crusader coalition (Italy, France, Britain, Japan, Poland, Australia, Spain, and Belgium), after some of their own citizens became prey for the soldiers.’

France 24 states that Tunisian authorities allege fighters from Okba Ibn Nafaa were involved in the assault and have killed nine men accused of belonging to the group saying,

‘Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid confirmed later Sunday that one of the leaders of the group, Lokmane Abou Sakhr – an Algerian who was singled out as the organiser of the museum attack was among the dead.’”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/islamic-state-claim-bardo-museum-attack-and-saana-two-temples-assault-in-latest-dabiq-publication/

The following is a special report by Reuters referring to Jabeur Khachnaoui and Yassine el-Abidi alleged to have carried out the Bardo attack, it also refers to Salafist links.

“Special Report: The middle-class Islamists behind Tunisia’s museum attack”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/17/us-tunisia-attack-gunmen-specialreport-idUSKBN0O205F20150517

There was some confusion over exactly which terrorist group(s) had links to the Bardo museum incident, as Middle East Eye points out, “many analysts have pointed fingers towards a group linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) called the Uqba bin Nafie Brigades” see following link also,

“Analysts unclear of al-Qaeda – IS link to Tunis Bardo Museum attack”

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/fears-political-division-after-museum-incidents-analysts-1009724507

The Sousse and Bardo attacks will not only affect the tourist industry on which many Tunisians rely for their livelihood but as Prime Minister Habib Essid announced, the government is to close down 80 mosques outside state control considered to be responsible for inciting violence.

Whether IS is responsible or not for Tunisia attacks the warning is clear as written by IS hostage John Cantlie in his article ““Paradigm Shift” (Dabiq no 8, March 2015).

THE ONLY QUESTION IS,

HOW MANY MORE WESTERNERS WILL DIE BETWEEN THEN AND NOW?

“The way things are going at the moment, the answer is many. France, Belgium, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, have all been the targets of mujāhidīn attacks over the last three months alone, and as more Islamic fighters from different groups in different countries pledge allegiance to the Islamic State, such attacks will surely only become more numerous and better-executed.”

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Scene of the attack at mosque in Kuwait city (image BBC)

Islamic State (IS) has claimed another deadly mosque attack, this time a first in Kuwait which left 27 dead and over 200 injured. IS-affiliated group in Saudi Arabia, calling itself Najd Province accepted responsibility for the attack. The al Emam Al Sadiq Shia mosque in Kuwait City was targeted by a suicide bomber who allegedly blew himself up during Friday prayers. Reuters news agency reported,

“Islamic State named the bomber as Abu Suleiman al-Muwahed and said in a statement posted on social media that he had targeted a “temple of the rejectionists” — a term it generally uses to refer to Shi’ites, whom it regards as heretics.”

Alleged to be bomber seconds before detonation

Aftermath of bombing (Images AP)

The prime minister of Kuwait, Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah who visited the wounded at Emiri hospital told Reuters “this incident targets our internal front, our national unity. But this is too difficult for them and we are much stronger than that.”

The mosque bombing occurred on the same day as 27 people died in a terrorist attack on Moussa a beach resort in Tunisia. There was a further terrorist attack where a man was decapitated, his head displayed on a fence at the Air Products chemical factory in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, near Lyons in south-west France. To date no -one has claimed responsibility for these attacks.

The US Embassy Kuwait released the following statement,

“the Embassy of the United States condemns the senseless terrorist attack on worshipers in the Al-Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque in #Kuwait City today. We, Ambassador Douglas Silliman and his wife Catherine extend our deepest condolences to the government and people of Kuwait, and our prayers go out to the families of those killed and injured. The United States stands ready to assist our friend and ally Kuwait in any way possible.”

Sayed Mahdi Modarresi a faith leader, lecturer and theologian specializing in Islamic history and spirituality tweeted,

“Being killed is a habit for us, martyrdom an honor bestowed upon us”—Ali son of Hussein #KuwaitAttack #ShiaGenocide

His tweet was accompanied by the following image,

Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, posted the following on Twitter,

Face of alleged bomber Abu Suleiman al-Muwahed

The statement allegedly released from IS claiming responsibility for the Kuwait mosque attack (image via Jenan Moussa, Arabic Al Aan TV)

Islamic State has claimed several recent attacks on mosques in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia see following,

Links

“Yemen: Islamic State claim responsibility for mosque bombings in Sanaa which kill 140 people injuring hundreds”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/yemen-islamic-state-claim-responsibility-for-mosque-bombings-in-sanaa-which-kill-140-people-injuring-hundreds/

and

Saudi Arabia: Shia mosque targeted in suicide bombing Qatif and mosque attacked in Sanaa, Yemen

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/saudi-arabia-shia-mosque-targeted-in-suicide-bombing-qatif-and-mosque-attacked-in-sanaa-yemen/

and

“Saudi Arabia: Islamic State claim responsibility for Dammam mosque attack”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/saudia-arabia-islamic-state-claim-responsibility-for-dammam-mosque-attack

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Scene of attack Air Products site (image, BBC) 

Yassin Salhi (35) from Saint-Priest, near Lyon has been detained and 3 others also arrested in relation to an attack today at Air Products chemical factory in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, near Lyons in south-west France.

Investigations revealed a headless body and a head impaled on a fence with messages written on it in Arabic. AP reported that “two flags one white and one black, both with Arabic inscriptions, were found at the scene.” The deceased who has not yet been named was discovered to be Salhi’s boss (age 55) at a local transportation/delivery company which served the factory. According to Chicago Tribune, “the industrial site belongs to Air Products, an American chemical company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania.” The Guardian reported that Air Products “supplies gases, chemicals and associated equipment. It has 20,000 employees and outlets in 50 countries.”

A French prosecutor who spoke on Sky News, said that a vehicle was caught on CCTV cameras entering the site which had security clearance as the person was known to employees at the factory. French authorities alleged Salhi had previously been under the surveillance of security services after concerns he had been radicalised but this was dropped back in 2008.

Firefighters were called to the factory due to risk from explosive material and Salhi who did not appear to have a criminal record was detained at the scene allegedly trying to release acetone. Salhi was identified by staff at the factory and a knife was also found at the scene. The suspect was known to be linked to Salafists in Lyon. Four people have been arrested, the suspected attacker Salhi, his wife, sister and another unnamed individual.

Michael Horowitz, geopolitical and security analyst, at a private consultancy firm tweeted,

The gaz factory that was attacked in #France had just signed a contract to build one of the biggest gas complex in Saudi Arabia

According to Reuters (23rd April 2015) “a joint venture between Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Holding and U.S.-based Air Products has been awarded a contract to build, own and operate the world’s largest industrial gas complex by Saudi Aramco.” The contract was said to be worth $2 billion.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility though jihadists have given warnings in recent media releases suggesting US nuclear plants might be at risk of security breaches but no mention of gas plants. Two other terrorist attacks were also carried out today, the bombing of a Shia mosque in Kuwait City and an attack on a tourist resort in Moussa, Tunisia which left 38 dead.

President of France, Francois Hollande responded by placing the region under the highest security alert. According to Newsweek, “Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s nationalist Front National party has called on authorities to expel all foreign citizens suspected of fundamentalism and to begin monitoring prayers and gatherings at all mosques.”

Earlier this year the offices of Charlie Hebdo publication were targeted in Paris following publication of cartoons on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) see Links section.

Links

“Charlie Hebdo attack and hypocrisy in freedom of expression”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/france-charlie-hebdo-attack-and-hypocrisy-on-freedom-of-expression/

“Charlie Hebdo hunt: Bloody end to sieges”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30752239

“Al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsular: AQAP release statement on Charlie Hebdo Paris attacks”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/al-qaeda-in-arabian-peninsular-aqap-release-statement-on-charlie-hebdo-paris-attacks/

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Sousse hit by terrorist attack (image via Michael Horowitz)

A hotel in the town of Sousse, Tunisia 144 kilometres to the south of the capital Tunis is alleged to have been attacked by one, possibly 2 gunmen according to security sources with unconfirmed reports of up to 38 dead. The resort is popular with both Tunisians and Europeans. The assault was said to be in the vicinity of the Imperial Marhaba hotel and there were reports of dead bodies lying on the beach and an unconfirmed image on social media purporting to show a man face down in the sand in what appears to be a pool of blood.

Amira Yahyaoui, who describes herself as “Human rights advocate and Founder @AlBawsalaTN – Yale World Fellow (proudly in Tunisia)” posted a series of tweets as the incident unfolded.

Fire exchange now inside the Imperial Park Hotel in Sousse, many people injured, no information about numbers of dead or injured.. #sousse

Second terrorist attack in Sousse in a year.. last one was in the beach with no casualties but the terrorist himself.

Terrorists entered the hotel through the beach, national media gives numbers between 6 and 13 dead so far.. #sousse

Confirmed : 2 hotels are attacked in Sousse (source MI spokesperson via @RadioMosaiqueFM )

Horrible .. Ministry of Interior spokesperson : 19 dead in the terrorist attack against 2 hotels in Sousse-Tunisia (via @May_Mouna )

In @RadioShemsFm and @Jawhara_FM Ministry of interior spokesperon gives the number of 27 dead in the sousse attack.

Beach at Sousse where attack took place (Image via Michael Horowitz)

Beach Sousse where 27 people are alleged to have been killed (Image via Michael Horowitz)

Michael Horowitz, Geopolitical and security analyst at a private security firm tweeted,

One gunman entered the Marhaba Imperial Hotel in #Sousse armed with a Kalashnikov, opened fire on tourists

Charles Lister, Visiting Fellow at Brookings Doha and author – The Syrian Jihad tweeted,

[Graphic] Attack at Hotel Riu Imperial in #Sousse reportedly by 1-2 gunmen w. assault rifle. Reports of 7-13 dead:

Alleged (? deceased) bodies on the beach, Sousse (Image, Charles Lister)

Charles Lister later tweeted,

Picture shows alleged 2nd gunman (1st killed: ) from #Sousse attack in #Tunisia after arrest: (Images could not be independently verified)

Alleged 2nd gunman Sousse (Image, Charles Lister) 

Earlier this year, the Bardo museum in Tunis was the scene of an earlier attack by gunmen in March 2015, an attack which was claimed by Islamic State, see link,

“Islamic State claim Bardo museum attack and Saana two temples attack in latest Dabiq publication”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/islamic-state-claim-bardo-museum-attack-and-saana-two-temples-assault-in-latest-dabiq-publication/

However Tunisian authorities alleged the attack was linked to a local branch of Al Qaeda, Vice news reported,

“Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid announced that Khaled Chaieb, also known as Lokman Abou Sakhr, was killed in a dawn raid by the country’s national guard, according to state-run press agency TAP. Chaieb was the suspected leader of an al Qaeda branch called the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade.”

Thomas Cook, holiday company which has customers in the area gave the following statement reported by ITV.

“At this time, details are not clear as to which property(ies) have been affected, with conflicting news reports.

“We are currently gathering information and will provide an update as soon as possible. Our teams on the ground are offering every support to our customers and their families in the area.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, working closely with the FCO and local authorities.”

Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the government’s emergency committee group Cobra will meet this afternoon chaired by Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to address today’s terror incidents in France and Tunisia. Cameron condemned the attacks saying “this is a threat that faces all of us.”

There have been 2 other attacks today, a man was decapitated at a gas factory in eastern France with others injured and Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shia mosque in Kuwait during Friday prayers.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Where is Shaker’s right to rehabilitation, R2R after torture? (Image Andy Worthington)

Today, 26th June 2015 is United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture which takes place ever year “to stand united and remind the world that torture is a cruel violation of human rights.” This year the theme is Right to Rehabilitation (R2R) and as the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) is highlighting, the importance of ensuring that “as many torture survivors as possible have access to the rehabilitation they need and have a right to”.

To that end I am once again highlighting the case of Shaker Aamer (age 48) who has now been detained in Guantanamo for 13 years without charge. Shaker who was born in Saudi Arabia relocated to London 20 years ago where he married. He then moved to Kabul where he was working as a volunteer for an Islamic charity when the events of 9/11 unfolded in 2001. Shaker was detained in Kabul and later ended up in the hands of the US military in exchange for money, a lucrative business at that time. He was detained and subjected to physical and psychological torture at a secret ‘black site’ prison. Shaker confessed to being a jihadist during the terrifying torture process which he said almost destroyed him and was later transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was never charged or tried and has been cleared for release not once but twice in recent years. As Professor Sten Jacobssen (Swedish expert on torture) poignantly stated in 2014 in relation to Shaker,

“imagine that you are imprisoned for 13 years, physically and mentally abused. You are never charged, never tried, you are in fact cleared for release but remain a prisoner, separated from your family and friends…Could there be a much worse case of psychological torture, think for a moment on what such a cruel and unjust situation does to the mind. On the one hand you are being repeatedly told that you are theoretically “free” but in reality you are confined to a cell with no forseeable date of release. This is the existence of Shaker Aamer, I hestitate to call it a life, as it is no life!” 

As Save Shaker Aamer reported, a House of Commons debate was held after an Amnesty International petition collected more than 32,000 signatures demanding the release of Mr Aamer which was then delivered to the Prime Minister at Downing Street. Conservative former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell stated, “justice is colour blind, it is creed blind, it should apply to everyone – universal justice – and it is not applying to Shaker Aamer and it is up to the House of Commons to give voice to this view.” There is concern from Shaker’s lawyers that his period of detention is being extended due to claims that he was tortured in the presence of British soldiers and MI5 agents and fear of what he might reveal.

Recently a group of MPs flew to the US for meetings to try to secure Shaker’s release and an open letter was drafted to President Obama and defense secretary Ashton Carter. Thirteen rights groups, “called for the release of 57 men from Guantánamo (out of the 122 men still in the prison), who are still held despite being approved for release, the majority for over five years” (see following article from Andy Worthington)

“MPs Visit US to Discuss the Release of Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo with John McCain and Dianne Feinstein”

MPs Visit US to Discuss the Release of Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo with John McCain and Dianne Feinstein

Shaker’s family are also suffering, his youngest son has never even seen his father in person and his wife is deprived of a husband and provider. As IRCT explain,

“this trauma reaches far beyond the direct victims and in some instances, where torture has been used in a systematic and widespread manner, whole societies are affected. Providing holistic rehabilitation and redress to survivors of torture and trauma can help heal the effects of torture and therefore help reconstruct broken societies. The aim of rehabilitation is to empower torture survivors to rebuild their life. This is why the R2R is more important than ever.

This 26 June, we are calling on all rehabilitation centres to make R2R the focal point of their activities, to promote the vital work they do in providing rehabilitation, and to pressure governments into meeting their responsibility to make R2R a reality in their country.”

To this end, campaigners call on the US government (which has yet to hold the CIA accountable for torture) to acknowledge its responsibility to set free those in Guantanamo cleared for release. Shaker is now in a poor state of health both physically and mentally and must be returned to the UK as a matter of urgency so that the long road to rehabilitation can begin.

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”.

Shaykh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi (Image via Sky News)

Why did I not name them Khawarij even until now?
Even though there are among them who are worse than the Khawarij?

By: Shaykh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi

Some who love me criticize me and those who do not love me are angry with me; why do I not name the group ISIS explicitly as Khawarij even until now; and many youths and seekers of knowledge postpone the fight against them because they need my classification of them as Khawarij. I say:

1. Me refraining from this title does not mean my praise for them in any way, sometimes I see some of them even as worse than the Khawarij:

# The Khawarij made Takfir on big sins, but among them are those who make even Takfir on downright obedience (towards Allah), after they change its name into a sin and betrayal and an act of the Sahawaat.

# And the regulations of Takfir for many of their followers is based upon desires (Hawaa) and rivalry, and ignorance is predominant among them next to lack of awareness and foolish dreams.

# And the Khawarij did not lie and I experienced some of them and dealt with them and found some of them lying more than the Rawafid and being more slanderous than the Jews.

# And they massacred the best of the Ummah of Muhammad (SalAllahu Alayhi wa Selam) from the Mujahideen. And they made their blood and wealth Halal, and they are bolder and faster in killing them than killing the original disbelievers, because they see them as apostates, and an apostate is worse than an original disbeliever. And in a Hadeeth: “Whoever indiscriminately attacks my Ummah, killing the righteous and wicked among them, sparing not even the believers, and fulfilling not an oath with those who were given a promise of security, does not belong to my Ummah. And whoever fights under a blind banner (of a people whose cause is not clear), to kill for partisanship and is fanatic and supportive towards his party, and is killed, then he dies in a state of Jahiliyah (pre-Islamic ignorance).”

How can you think I am praising them or making compromises with them after this position which I repeatedly described, and my position is not clouded by the fact that I settled with quoting them in naming them (Khawarij), after the communication I had with their jurists in which they said and acknowledgment that there are Khawarij in their ranks and in the ranks of their jurists. There is no relation between the fact that I refrain from this absolute description and between praising them! I likewise gave a verdict (Fatwa) to repel their aggression when they attack the Mujahideen, and the Mujahideen are allowed to help each other in repelling their aggression if necessary, without supporting the apostates against them.

2. I add to this that I have not denied statements of my brothers, the scholars from the investigatory theologians, who named them Khawarij, like Shaykh Abu Qatadah may Allah protect him. Because I know he does not make these statements, like some do, because of profanity due to hostile feud, or revenging their tyrant masters, or in accordance with their desires, or other malicious reasons. Rather no one does this except those with correct view and those who follow the truth and experienced their likes. That’s why you see him separate and implant that this description does not necessary mean that all their individuals are Khawarij, rather it is enough that this description is verified in their leadership, and the refraining party (who refused to be judges by an independent Sharia court) is described as such. Because the leadership of this party are the ones who direct it towards shedding the blood of Muslims and making Takfir on the Mujahideen, and there is no trace (to be found) of their mislead followers even if they are the most devout and righteous of creation. But I knew and know that most people do not know and do not understand this difference (detail), so I did not choose to adopt this name at the same time I did not reject it (when others used it).

Add to this that the Shaykh emphasizes that their fight against the Rawafid and the Nusairiyah is praiseworthy, and if you were in Iraq and did not find anyone else besides them who fight the Rawafid then you can fight with them. So how can you compare this with the profanity of those say that the Rawafid are a lesser evil then they are? And those who made the tyrants and Obama better than them? And where is the differentiation of those who judge them all as Khawarij without any elaboration, only out of hostile feud to incite against them in order to eradicate them? And he does not take in to account the misled youth by them, who came for the sake of Jihad but were lured by the title of Khilafah; to achieve their eradication according to the wishes of the tyrants who want to get rid of them without any scrutiny.

3. I know that the feud of some groups in the Syrian battlefield with ISIS is not a religious Sharia feud, rather it is a mundane worldly feud or by orders, directives and wishes of the backing masters. I do not like names to be thrown in this dirty game. So refrained from giving them what they could use in this dirty war of theirs. I refused to be a tool in the hands of the conspirators. So I stayed a slow grief in their hearts and an opening for those who come back and repent from among the youth who were misled by ISIS, so that they would listen to my advises and they would accept it because of my fairness with them. And to protect the blood of our brothers who are waiting for our verdict (Fatwa) to carelessly run with it to battles in which we do not have any share.

And one must not say that Abu Qatadah does not take this into account according to my opinion. Never! I keep him above my head and in my eyes, and his choice is respected by me. But each of us has a turf and its supplicants, who are looking at it and are waiting for its speech. And we complete each other, all praises are due to Allah. And we are setting up an important balance in the fields of Jihad, even if the counteractive ones reject it or the deniers disapprove of it. Me and the Shaykh known that the Syrian battlefield became a field of international conspiracies and a play tool of the intelligence services. And ISIS with its foolishness and the stupidity of its leadership and many of its followers became a stone among stones in this game, exploited to achieve their goals. It is not necessary for them to be agents, rather they are used through the stupidly of their leadership. And we refuse to let our positions and verdicts be exploited in this dirty game and its filthy goals.

4. So that’s why both of us even until now did not permit fighting them except in the case of repelling their aggression (meaning defensive not offensive), so that our verdicts will not be used in achieving the wishes of the tyrants and the Crusaders behind them. And those that seek to eradicate them (ISIS) in this stage will make it easy for them to irradiate Jabhat An-Nusra after that and similar factions who refuse to obey to wishes of the enemies of Jihad.

5. The (religious) term Khawarij is connected to Sharia rulings which will be exploited by those with foreign agendas in the deviant factions; using the call to fight and eradicate them like the people of ‘Aad were eridicated (a ruling about the Khawarij found in the Ahadeeth), without discriminating between those who were fooled and others. I refuse to open this door for people from whom some of them could be even more evil than the extremists and the Khawarij. Especially since these people have opened it with verdicts of their jurist and scholars of Irjaa (opposite sect of Khawarij known as postponers), and with domestic and foreign state scholars, until the enemies of Allah were happy with it and the Rawafid and the tyrants used it in describing ISIS absolutely (without any details). So why would I enter this ring which is not my ring, and we disagree with its people in the fundamentals as well as in the branches (Aqeedah and Fiqh). That’s why we are happy when the Khawarij of the extremists fight against the Rawafid and the Nusairiyah, and we hope for their victory, as long as there is no Sunni alternative to confront them. While we see some of them wish victory for the Rawafid over them (ISIS).

6. The tittles ‘the Caliphate’ and ‘the Islamic State’ are one of the most loved titles to my heart, and the heart of every Muslim. So my hostility cannot be due to these tittles, rather it is against those who distort it with their extremism and Takfir on Muslims and by spilling the blood of the Mujahideen. Is has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt that ISIS makes Takfir on Jabhat An-Nusra as well as other factions. And they make the blood of its supporters legal, like they make the blood of every Mujahid they overpower (catch) legal. And the Mujahideen and scholars whether they are from Shaam or Iraq or Afghanistan or Libya or elsewhere, under the pretext of standing against the project of the Ummah and the Khilafah! They painted themselves exclusively with these tittles to describe everyone who opposes them with Sahawaat, agents, treachery and apostasy. And they deceived their flock with it so the blood and lives of Muslims became cheap to them because of it, so they made spilling and wasting it easy.

7. I did not take my position regarding ISIS based upon inaccurate communications I received from hostile parties to them, like many of them claim. Rather I took it based upon personal and direct positions in dealing with them, which let me know that these people do not raise their head for the Sharia rulings except if it’s in their benefit. And that they are not protective of Muslim blood and their honor. And one of the most clear examples I experienced with them concerning this domain is:

# Me inviting them to a Sharia court which abides by their set terms, and after months of postponing they explicitly refused to refer the matter to a court. And this happened between me and them, and this matter would be enough for him who has a heart with some shame; to know that they lied to me, and did not want to refer to the majestic Sharia of Allah, and did not wish its judgment.

# And add to this also them shedding the blood of our sister Sajida, and giving priority to the publication of their movie over her live, when they were warned and alerted that Sajida would be executed if they killed the pilot, and the warning has reached them. Despite that they gave priority to publish their movie of them burning the pilot over her live. This will let you know that they do not safeguard the blood of Muslims, and that they are not qualified to be leaders who are merciful with Muslims.

I am prepared to swear a Mubahalah over these two situations with the leaders of ISIS; they refused the arbitration which I presented according to their conditions; and that the warning of Sajida’s execution reached them if they would kill the pilot. Despite that they insisted on publishing the movie of the burning. After they lied and connected his fate to her release, even though they had already killed him according to their Sharia judgment of similar retribution (Qisaas).. So she and Ziyad Karbouli were executed because they insisted on propaganda and excitement and gave this priority over the lives of Muslims.

And from their slanders and lies and forgery and calling things with other names in order for them to base ruling of treachery and apostasy upon it, is that they named me because of my attempts to save the imprisoned Muslims with “An agent of the secret intelligence services and a defender of the pilot..” And the intelligence services had much better suspicions of my religion than the ones who are calling themselves the Khilafah and claim that they belong to Jihad, when they said to me “We know that if it was not for Sajida you would not intervene in the issue of the pilot.” This is a disgrace in the face of those who until recently were calling me “My Shaykh” and “Our Shaykh.” And after that they made this an opportunity for hostile profanity, and defaming me in my religion, and to open an arena for their flock to betray me and make Takfir on me.

8. These people if they stay on what they are on, they will be the most far away people from the Prophet (SalAllahu Alayhi wa Selam). Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi wa Selam) said: “Indeed, from the most beloved of you to me, and the closest of you to me on the Day of Judgment, are the best of you in behavior (character). And the most hated to me and the farthest away from me on the Day of Judgment will be those who talk uselessly (blabbers), and those who talk harshly to others and put them down (ranters), and those are haughty and show off when they talk (the proud).”

I contacted and dealt with some of them, and I found out that they are the worst of people in character, and most despicable in social interaction. It is enough for the student of knowledge to know that they used to call me “Our Shaykh, our Shaykh..” during the negotiations, and after a month of lies and postponing they sent a file to my phone, locked with a password beginning with “The pimp Al-Maqdisi..” And I will hold Al-Baghdadi and Al-Adnani and his henchmen responsible for this slanderous name-calling, I will stand in front of Allah with it, and I will not let them get away with it, until they present a way out from this accusation with which they slandered me and my family.

And their jurist and disputants who taught them this carry the responsibility for all of this. I am not mentioning this out of grievance and complaint to anyone from the world, but so that the misled ones by them know what kind of leadership this is, who leads them and blows their bodies up. Do they deserve to be entrusted with their lives, the likes of this leadership which is void of noble character and religion and responsibility? Think about what I am saying, and I entrust my matter to Allah, He is All-Seeing over His worshipers.

9. The attacks of ISIS against me, and their slanders about me, and their fabrications and lies, and the Takfir of some among them on me, and their insults and curses, despite my mentioned position; indicates a lack of mind among most of them, and foolishness and a filthy heart among many of them.

And insisting on my position mentioned above, despite their hostile profanity, proofs that my position is not reactive, nor that the governments have dictated it. Because the most loved thing to the governments is that I paint them with the name Khawarij, and I did not do this even until now. And I do not have backers, all praises and grace are due to Allah, who influence me in my positions. Nor am I afraid that they will cut of their funding to me. This judgment of mine is independent, it will not be influenced nor pressured inshaAllah by people who are enemies with ISIS. Like I am not influenced by the slanders and fabrications of ISIS. On the contrary, their insulting, their lying, and their fabrications against me, became the biggest reasons for refraining from my feud with them by calling them Khawarij. Because I am enormously eager to not let this feud turn from a Sharia feud, with which I debate them in front of Allah, into a personal feud. And if I increase my pace of responses against them, it will result in a disaster or it will renew a calamity (meaning the result will be counterproductive).

10. This position of mine is a legitimate (Sharia) position, which I make clear for the sake (benefit) of Jihad and the Mujahideen. And I know that unfair minded people from among the Murijah (postponers) and allies of the tyrants will criticize me and say “The Shaykh said that they are worse than Khawarij to avoid naming them Khawarij.” I repeat what I said above, I said; among them are those who are worse than Khawarij, and I do not believe that all of them are Khawarij or that all of them are worse than the Khawarij. And the worse among them is their leadership who dragged them in to Takfir and in to spilling the blood of Muslims and the Mujahideen. And it is a wrecked leadership from the most evil of leaders, who cannot be entrusted with even its own youth who came from all over the world to support something named the Khilafah and the Islamic State. So it made blowing them up cheap, and put them in jeopardy here and there. And I make clear that this differentiation is the specific preference of Shaykh Abu Qatadah himself, but I wanted to explain it. And I do not want to release its publication (meaning the label of Khawarij) because of my knowledge about many ignorant people from all parties who do not know the details of this publication. The biased people and those with foreign agenda’s are happy with that release without any explanation nor details. And this release will also repel the hopes of our advises towards the ignorant followers of ISIS who are misled by them. It was as if I contributed in Shaykh Abu Qatadah’s description, but I explained it in detail.

I know that the battlefield is mixed and infiltrated, it contains a lot of personal whims and worldly agendas, and domestic and foreign conspiracies, and secret intelligence tricks. That’s why this verdict of mine is issued for the Sunnis and not for the innovators, and to the supporters of Jihad so that they don’t remain an object tied to the extremist and their transgression, nor to the secularist and their supports the tyrants, or the likes who saw and still see that with my mentioned regulations the battle of their hopes is restricted, and does not please them, and does not work for their agenda, all praises are due to Allah.

This is what I have, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and all his companions.

Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi
Ramadan 1436/June 2015

Original Text Arabic (translation via Dutch Mujahideen in Syria)

End

Link

“Al-Qaeda spiritual leader: Islamic State are ‘deviants'”

http://www.channel4.com/news/sheikh-abu-muhammad-al-maqdis-salafist-islam-islamic-state

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

“TTP claimed accepts responsibility for attack on army at Khurram agency killed and injured many of them” (June 25th 2015)

SITE Intel Group also reported, “Khorasan Province of #ISIS claimed killing two Pakistani soldiers and wounding two others in an attack on a checkpoint in Kurram Agency.” (Posted 26th June 2015)

TTP accepts responsibility for attacking CTD member (June 25th 2015)

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Adam Yahiye Gadahn appeared in a number of Al Qaeda videos (image via Wikileaks and Sott.net)

Al Qaeda have confirmed the killing of Adam Yahiye Gadahn in a US drone strike in January 2015 which targeted a militant compound in Pakistan. As-Sahab media stated his “martyrdom” in the latest copy of Resurgence which includes his biography. Gadahn, who was also known as Azzam al-Amriki was a US citizen from Winchester, California born in 1978, see link to magazine for announcement of his death.

As-Sahab Media Presents

مؤسسة السحاب للإنتاج الإعلامي

presents

تقدم

Issue 2 of the magazine
العدد الـ 2 من مجلة

Resurgence (إنبعاث)

Gadahn who had a number of aliases was once known as Adam Pearlman and enjoyed heavy metal music before reverting to Islam age 17. According to ABC,

“Gadahn was recruited by Egyptian Hisham Diab, who ran one of the first al Qaeda support cells out of his apartment complex in Orange County. They met at a local mosque. Gadahn eventually left California for Karachi, Pakistan, where his parents last heard from him in the months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks”

See link for background history, 

“Al Qaeda Spokesman Adam Gadahn Was Once American Adam Pearlman”

http://abcnews.go.com/International/al-qaeda-spokesman-adam-gadahn-american-adam-pearlman/story?id=30528049

Gadahn who appeared in a number of Al Qaeda videos was not specifically targeted in the drone strike.

Different faces of Gadahn  (Image via livesscience.com)

The National Counterterrorism Centre (US)  had earlier stated that Adam Yahiye Gadahn “was indicted in the Central District of California for treason and material support to al-Qa‘ida. The charges are related to Gadahn’s alleged involvement in a number of terrorist activities, including providing aid and comfort to al-Qa‘ida and services for al-Qa‘ida.” He had a up to a $1 million reward on his head.

Links

“Azzam the American:  The making of an Al Qaeda homegrown”

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/01/22/azzam-the-american

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights 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”.

Men kneeling before decapitation (Image from video) 

Islamic State has released another video purporting to depict the beheading of “Syrian rebel” allegedly part of Jaish al-Islam, Army of Islam in Damascus.

The 12 captives are dressed in the usual orange jumpsuits echoing those used in Guantanamo and a familiar nasheed (chant) is used as a soundtrack. The men are taken to an open area where they are decapitated with knives.

(Images from Islamic State video)

This video follows hot on the heels of another released earlier this week which shows 3 groups of prisoners, alleged “spies” drowned in a metal cage, burnt alive by firing at a car with an RPG and decapitated using explosives.

See link for full story,

“Islamic State releases graphic new killing spies video on day human rights groups call for accountability for CIA torture.”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/06/23/islamic-state-releases-graphic-new-killing-spies-video-on-day-human-rights-groups-call-for-accountability-for-cia-torture/

Earlier today a Twitter account monitoring Islamic State activities reported that IS had allegedly seized control of Al Nashwa and Al Shierya south of Hassakeh City and killed 30 regime soldiers in Syria. ‬

Another account that of Jannatul Ferdous tweeted alleging,

Breaking : #IS soldier took control of Al Nashwah & Al Laylyah neighborhoods in Al Hasakah city after battle with #SAA & #YPG #Rojava #Syria

and

Update #IS takes control of Children Hospital, Youth center, Electricity Directorate and the College of Arts.

Islamic State has also recently expanded its area of recruitment in Europe according to the Guardian which reported,

“Isis produced a new recruitment video this month, targeting the Balkans region and Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular. The 20-minute film, entitled Honour is in Jihad, features several Bosnian Isis fighters exhorting their fellow countrymen to join the battle in Syria or carry out opportunistic attacks on perceived enemies of Islam at home.”

See following link,

“Isis targets vulnerable Bosnia for recruitment and attack”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/25/isis-targets-vulnerable-bosnia-for-recruitment-and-attack

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”.