June 11, 2005

Al Qaeda Threatens to Murder 36 Hostage

Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq has claimed to have taken 36 Iraqi soldiers hostage and threatened to murder them unless Muslim women are released from Iraqi jails in a series of communiques posted at an Islamic message board. The Iraqi government places the number of hostages as 22. The deadline, and the extention given in a later communique, has run out.

This type of threat is typical of the al Qaeda in Iraq group, but up until now the threat has usually been that hostages would be executed (many by beheading) if the US did not release women prisoners. This threat is indicative that the insurgency in Iraq is now between secularists in governmnet and religious fanatics who's aim is to install a Taliban like government.

In the past, al Qaeda in Iraq (formerly known as Tawhid and Jihad) has followed through with these types of threats by murdering their victims. The group, in an attempt to legitimze their crimes, first forces the victims to confess to various crimes against Islam before murdering them. A video is usually posted some time later. As soon as a video is released, we will post links and images of the crimes committed by the 'insurgents' in Iraq.

The Geo TV:

The Al Qaeda group in Iraq has said that it was holding 36 Iraqi troops hostage and demanded the government free all women prisoners within 24 hours, according to a Web statement.

The statement addressed to Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari 24 hours to free all Muslim women prisoners held in Interior Ministry jails.

The statement said the group was holding 36 National Guards after raids in Western Iraq, and not 22 as reported by Iraqi police on Wednesday.

The Sunni Muslim group, which has often abducted and killed officials and soldiers, said the 36 were being questioned about their "crimes against Sunnis".

Hat tip: Chad at In the Bullpen

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 01:05 PM | |