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| {{Infobox War Faction | {{Infobox War Faction | ||
| |name=Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad | |name=Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad | ||
| |war=the ] | |war=the ] | ||
| |image=] | |||
| |caption= | |||
| |caption=Jama'at al-Tawhid wal Jihad members with ] and with the banner in the background. | |||
| |active=2003-present | |||
| |active=2003-2004 | |||
| |leaders=]†<br> | |||
| |leaders=] | |||
| |clans= | |clans= | ||
| |headquarters= |
|headquarters= | ||
| |area=] | |area=], ] | ||
| |strength= |
|strength= | ||
| |partof= |
|partof= | ||
| |previous= | |previous=] | ||
| |next= | |next=] | ||
| |opponents=],<br>] (], ] and ] militias,<br>] | |||
| |opponents=] | |||
| |battles=] |
|battles=] | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| ] in orange, seated, before his decapitation.]] | |||
| ] giving Korea 24 hours to withdraw Korean troops out of Iraq.]] | |||
| '''Jama'at al-] wal-]''' ({{lang-ar|جماعة التوحيد والجهاد}}, '''Unification (Monotheism) and the Holy Struggle Group''') |
'''Jama'at al-] wal-]''' ({{lang-ar|جماعة التوحيد والجهاد}}, '''Unification (Monotheism) and the Holy Struggle Group''') was a radical ] militant group in the ] ] which was led by ]. | ||
| Foreign fighters were widely thought to play a key role in the group (Zarqawi himself was ]ian ]), although some analysts say it may have also had a considerable Iraqi membership. | |||
| ==Origins== | |||
| ] | |||
| Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad was started by ], who himself was never Al Qaeda, other foreigners who are alleged to be Al-Qaeda members, and local, mostly Kurdish sympathizers. {{Fact|date=March 2007}} Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a Jordanian who had traveled to Afghanistan to fight in the ], but had arrived after the departure of the Soviet troops. Instead he busied himself with reporting on the fighting of others. After a trip home, he eventually returned to Afghanistan, running an Islamic militant training camp near ] in ]. Zarqawi started the network originally with a focus on overthrowing the Jordanian ], which he considered to be un-Islamic and made up of "hypocrites". Zarqawi comes from a school of militant ] ] and ] thought, which advocates a return to the laws and practices of the ] community that existed at the time of the death of the Prophet ] in the ]. After spending five years in a Jordanian prison for attempting to overthrow the government, Zarqawi later left the country, traveling to Afghanistan where he became the leader of his own terrorist training camp near Herat. Eventually, Zarqawi developed a large number of contacts and affiliates in several countries. His network may have been involved in the late ] ] in the US and Jordan. Following the ], it is believed that Zarqawi moved westward into ], where he may have received medical treatment in ] for an injured leg. It is believed that he developed extensive ties in Iraq with ], a ] Islamist militant group that was based in the extreme northeast of the country. Both the BBC in July 2002 and the ], in a published paper in April 2003, claimed Ansar had ties to Iraqi Intelligence. Given the authoritarian nature of Saddam Hussein's government, it is unlikely he would not have known and approved of this collaboration. Saddam's motivation would have been to use Ansar as a surrogate force to repress the Kurds (who wanted a "free Kurdistan" in Northern Iraq/Southern Turkey). Following the ], JTJ was developed as a militant network composed of foreign fighters, remnants of Ansar al-Islam, and indigenous Kurdish Sunni group to resist the coalition occupation forces and their Iraqi allies. The group's spiritual advisor was ]. They are well known for their savage, horrid attacks against Iraqi Shittes. | |||
| In 2004, following the ] ] Zarqawi's pledge of ] to ]'s ] network, the group became known as ] (official name ''Tanzim Qai'dat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn''). | |||
| ==Goals== | |||
| The stated goals of JTJ are to force a withdrawal of U.S-led forces from Iraq, topple the Iraqi interim government and assassinate collaborators with the "]," marginalize the ] ] population and defeat its militias, and to subsequently establish a pure ] Islamic state. Presumably, if and when those goals are achieved, the global jihad would continue to establish a pan-Islamic state and remove ] influence from the Muslim world.To remove the Western influence, JTJ sometimes target the ] minority and its interest such as church. Iraqi Christian became their target since 2004.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} | |||
| == |
==Name== | ||
| ] and with the banner in the background.]] | |||
| ] in orange, seated, before his decapitation. He is one of over 150 American contractors who have died in Iraq since 2003 .]] | |||
| ] members with ] giving Korea 24 hours to withdraw Korean troops out of Iraq .]] | |||
| JTJ differs from other ] groups considerably in its tactics. Rather than just using conventional weapons and ], it has relied heavily on ], mostly with vehicles, targeting a wide variety of groups but most especially Iraqi civilians, ]and those facilitating the occupation. U.S and coalition forces, the ], foreign civilians, ] organizations, Shiite and Kurdish political and religious figures, Iraqi police and security forces, and Iraqi interim officials have also been targeted. Zarqawi's militants have been known to use a wide variety of other tactics, however, including targeted ], ]s and ]s, the planting of improvised explosive devices, mortar attacks, and beginning in a late June 2004 offensive urban guerilla-style attacks using ]s and small arms. | |||
| This group's name, which is usually abbreviated as JTJ or shortened to Tawhid wal-Jihad or Tawhid al-Jihad (or just Tawhid), purposely contrasted the strict ] of ] with the "God in three persons" of the ] ], which it saw as ]. | |||
| For months, it appeared as though two separate wars were being conducted in Iraq. One was a militant terrorist campaign, largely conducted by foreign ]is, of high-profile suicide bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings. The other was a guerrilla war being conducted by ] indigenous ], and disenfranchised former ] members against the American occupation. Recently, as Zarqawi's network has taken root and grown in Iraq and as the insurgency has become more radicalized and religiously motivated, the distinction between the two has reduced. The ] offensive, which combined guerrilla warfare, and conventional tactics and in which a number of groups operating under the Zarqawi umbrella participated, was the most obvious indication of this shift. Militants in this group also have been known to operate with other insurgents in the city ], where they openly patrolled, enforcing ] law, and distributing audiotapes of the ] before a U.S-led offensive on the city in the beginning of October forced them underground again. | |||
| ==Goals== | |||
| JTJ cites various texts from the ] and the ] (traditions) of the prophet Muhammad that they perceive to support their tactics. They refer to the tradition of the prophet Muhammad where he said to the people of ] when conquering them, "By the one in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is in, I came to you with slaughter" narrated in the books of ] (traditions) including, Musnad Imam Ahmad, Saheeh Al Muslim and others. They also quote the prophet Muhammad saying, "Whoever slaughters a non-Muslim (at war with Islam, i.e. those perceived to be 'enemy occupiers') sincerely for the sake of Allah, Allah will make hellfire prohibited upon him." as well as many verses of the Qur'an calling Muslims to fight invading non-muslims and even behead them, such where Allah says in the Qur'an, "when you meet the non-muslim (enemies in battle) strike their necks." | |||
| The stated goals of JTJ were to force a withdrawal of U.S-led forces from Iraq, topple the Iraqi interim government and assassinate collaborators with the "]," marginalize the ] ] population and defeat its militias, and to subsequently establish a pure ] ]. Presumably, if and when those goals are achieved, the global ] would continue to establish a pan-Islamic state and remove ] influence from the Muslim world. | |||
| ==Reported activities and alleged attacks== | |||
| ===2003=== | |||
| *]: Zarqawi was believed{{who}} to be responsible for a truck bombing of the ]ian embassy, which killed 19.<ref>http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=400&issue_id=3179&article_id=2369022</ref> | |||
| *]: Zarqawi was translated as saying by ] that he was responsible for a truck bombing of ] in Baghdad that killed 22, including top U.N. envoy ]<ref></ref> | |||
| *]: According to Kurdish Intelligence officials Zarqawi's father-in-law ] was responsible for the car bomb in ] that killed more than 85, including ], the leader the ]<ref></ref> | |||
| *]: 16 American soldiers are killed and 26 are wounded when their ] was shot down by shoulder fired anti aircraft missile near Fallujah.<ref>http://news.mainetoday.com/war/insideiraq/041222iraqtimeline.shtml</ref> | |||
| *]: According to an MSNBC article, al-Zarqawi is blamed for an attack on coalition bases and governor's office in ] that killed 19.<ref>Ibid</ref> | |||
| == |
==Tactics== | ||
| *]: U.S. officials blame a ] in Baghdad and Karbala that kill at least 181<ref>Ibid</ref> people and injure hundreds more during the ], a Shia holiday, on al-Zarqawi. | |||
| *]: According to a statement allegedly published by on the ] Islamist web site and allegedly signed by Zarqawi, Zarqawi took responsibility for boat suicide bombings that ram oil pumping stations in the ]. Three U.S. servicemen are killed in the attack, which cost Iraq some $40 million<ref>http://www.iags.org/n0124051.htm</ref> in lost revenues.<ref>http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/27/content_326602.htm</ref> | |||
| *]: Iraq's interim interior minister was quoted as stating that he believed that al-Zarqawi was responsible for the suicide car bombing of the Iraqi army recruitment center in ] that killed 35 people, and wounded 145.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/06/17/iraq.main/index.html</ref> | |||
| *]: Americans ] and ] and Briton ] were kidnapped from their Baghdad home. The JTJ threatened to behead them in 48 hours unless Iraqi women are released from ] and ] prisons. On ], the group published a video showing the decapitation of Eugene Armstrong. U.S. Officials say that his body has been found and identified. On ], Hensley is beheaded as well. | |||
| *]: Kenneth Bigley is beheaded. | |||
| *]: A suicide car bomber rams his car against a U.S. convoy killing 8 marines and wounding 9 others west of Baghdad.<ref>http://news.mainetoday.com/war/insideiraq/041222iraqtimeline.shtml</ref> | |||
| *]: ] is beheaded. | |||
| JTJ differed from other Iraqi insurgent groups considerably in its tactics. Rather than just using conventional weapons and ], it has relied heavily on ], mostly with vehicles, targeting a wide variety of groups but most especially Iraqi civilians, ] and those facilitating the occupation. U.S and coalition forces, the ], foreign civilians, ] organizations, Iraqi ] and ] political and religious figures, Iraqi police and security forces, and Iraqi interim officials have also been targeted. | |||
| ===Attacks outside of Iraq=== | |||
| *April 2004: A failed plot to explode chemical bombs in ], ]. | |||
| *], ]: Attackers attempted to detonate a car bomb against fuel trucks on the Jordanian side of the Iraqi-Jordanian border, but failed. Zarqawi was sentenced to death '']'' for this plot in 2006. | |||
| *], ]: Rockets were fired at the ] and the ] off the coast of ], ], but missed and hit a warehouse, killing a Jordanian soldier. Another rocket was fired at ], ]. | |||
| *], ]: The ] in Jordan, which left over 60 people dead. | |||
| *], ]: A volley of ] rockets were fired into northern Israel from southern ]. Al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed the attack, but Israel suspects ] of the attack. | |||
| Zarqawi's militants have been known to use a wide variety of other tactics, however, including targeted ] and ]s, the planting of ]s, ] attacks, and beginning in a late June 2004 offensive urban guerilla-style attacks using ]s and small arms. TWJ was also known for the brutal ]s of foreign and Iraqi ]s, which were then distributed on the ] in video footage attributed to the group. | |||
| ==U.S. campaign against Zarqawi's al-Qaeda forces== | |||
| {{disputed-section}} | |||
| Al Qaeda admitted that the American effort against Zarqawi's network resulted in the death of at least 4,000 foreign Al Qaeda terrorists. From ] to early ], only 200 or so ] members were killed by US troops in ]. Most of the US effort during this time, went into Protecting "soft targets" against bombings conducted by the elusive force. In ], U.S. Marines and members of the ]'s ] retook the city of Fallujah killing between 1,200-1,500 ] fighters and ]. In late June 2004, U.S. forces began a campaign of missile strikes and ] assaults, against suspected ] safehouses in ], a stronghold of insurgents and radical clerics and the supposed focus of Zarqawi's militant network. Between ] and ], over 60 ] members were killed in three separate air raids conducted by the U.S military in both ] and ]. Civilians and officials in ] and ] charged that civilian targets were hit. Zarqawi himself was said to have narrowly escaped the ] attack, although there have been conflicting reports as to whether he was within Fallujah. Iraqi civilians, militiamen, policemen, and members of the Iraqi military, have suffered several hundred deaths and injuries in subsequent months, along with several thousand ] and ] deaths reported. These deaths are due to an escalating series of duels between anti-coalition militants employing car bombs and U.S. forces employing airstrikes and raids. The ] region between Baghdad and ] is the focus of the search for Zarqawi and his followers. | |||
| JTJ cites various texts from the ] and the ] (traditions) of the ] ] that they perceive to support their tactics. They refer to the tradition of the prophet Muhammad where he said to the people of ] when conquering them, "By the one in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is in, I came to you with slaughter" narrated in the books of ] (traditions). They also quote the prophet Muhammad saying, ''"Whoever slaughters a non-Muslim (at war with Islam, i.e. those perceived to be 'enemy occupiers') sincerely for the sake of Allah, Allah will make hellfire prohibited upon him."'' as well as many verses of the Qur'an calling Muslims to fight invading non-Muslims and even behead them, such where Allah says in the Qur'an, "when you meet the non-Muslim (enemies in battle) strike their necks." | |||
| On ], the ] announced its designation of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, along with its aliases Monotheism and Jihad Group, al-Zarqawi network, and al-Tawhid, as a ] and a ] under ]. . | |||
| ==Activities== | |||
| On ], ] the Iraqi Prime Minister confirmed that Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed in a United States Air Force ] airstrike at 6:15 pm local time (1415 UTC) the previous evening, ]. In a statement posted on the ] that day, signed by Al-Qaeda in Iraq's "deputy emir," ], al-Qaeda in Iraq pledged to "increase persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme." | |||
| TWJ was blamed for some of the biggest early insurgent attacks, including: | |||
| * ] ]: ] that killed ] and 22 others at the UN headquarters in ] | |||
| A found in Zarqawi's safe house indicates that the terrorist group was trying to provoke the U.S. to attack Iran in order to reinvigorate the insurgency in Iraq and to weaken American forces in Iraq. "The question remains, how to draw the Americans into fighting a war against Iran? It is not known whether American is serious in its animosity towards Iran, because of the big support Iran is offering to America in its war in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Hence, it is necessary first to exaggerate the Iranian danger and to convince America and the west in general, of the real danger coming from Iran...". The document then outlines 6 ways to incite war between the two nations. Iraqi national security adviser ] said the document, shows al-Qaeda in Iraq is being hindered and hence, in "pretty bad shape." He added that "we believe that this is the beginning of the end of al-Qaeda in Iraq." | |||
| * ] ]: ] in ] that killed ] ] and more than 85 others | |||
| *] ]: ] in Baghdad and ] that killed some 178 people and injured hundreds during the ]. | |||
| TWJ claimed credit for a number of attacks targeting Coalition and Iraqi forces including the October 2004 massacre of 49 unarmed, out-of-uniform ] recruits. | |||
| On ], ] al-Qaeda in Iraq announced the appointment of ] as the successor to al-Zarqawi. | |||
| {{iraq-stub}} | |||
| During the months leading up to ]'s assassination, at least one hundred Al Qaeda commanders and members were killed by ], said to be composed of US ] and ] ] units. In the subsequent months since ]'s death, at least two hundred Al Qaeda members have been killed or captured according to the US Military, and the ] Government. This number includes | |||
| ==References== | |||
| Additional Al Qaeda in Iraq leadership figures publicly known to have been killed or captured by Coalition and Iraqi government forces during the ] include the following: | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * ], killed in September 2006 in Baghdad{{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ], who was captured by US ] on ], ].<ref name="AFP0903">Agence France-Presse. Iraq's al-Qaeda number two captured. ] ].</ref> | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured in September 2006 in Shahraban {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * Hamed Jumaa Faris Juri al-Saaydi (aka ]), captured in August 2006 in Baquba {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed in June 2006 near Baquba<ref>{{cite news | title=Iraq Terror Chief Killed In Airstrike | date=] ]|publisher=CBS News|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/08/iraq/main1692753.shtml }}</ref> | |||
| * ], killed in June 2006 near Baquba<ref>{{cite news | title=Iraq Terror Chief Killed In Airstrike | date=] ] | publisher=CBS News|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/08/iraq/main1692753.shtml }}</ref> | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Bagdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in unknown location {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] near Samarra {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] in Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] in Karbala {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] near Abu Ghraib {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in south Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] in northern Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] south of Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in al-Ushsh {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] in Haditha {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Zanazil {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Jaramil {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Fallujah area {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Yusifiyah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), killed on ] ] in al-Qa'im {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in al-Shurqat {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Mosul {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Khalidiyah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured in April 2005 in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured in April 2005 in Ramadi {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in unknown location {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Anah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Anah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ] (aka ]), captured on ] ] in Baghdad {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Fallujah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] in Fallujah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed in December 2004 {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed in December 2004 in Fallujah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] near Fallujah {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], killed on ] ] near Abu Ghraib {{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| * ], captured on ] ] in Baghdad{{Fact|date=February 2007}} | |||
| {{Armed Iraqi Groups in the Iraq War and the Iraq Civil War}} | {{Armed Iraqi Groups in the Iraq War and the Iraq Civil War}} | ||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| {{Wikisource|The Rest of the Story: Iraq's Links to Al Qaeda}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * June 2006 | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 08:00, 12 June 2007
| Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad | |
|---|---|
 Jama'at al-Tawhid wal Jihad members with Jack Hensley and with the banner in the background. | |
| Leaders | Abu Musab al-Zarqawi |
| Dates of operation | 2003-2004 |
| Active regions | Iraq, Jordan |
| Opponents | Multinational force in Iraq, Iraq (Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish and Shia militias, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
| Battles and wars | Iraqi insurgency |
Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Template:Lang-ar, Unification (Monotheism) and the Holy Struggle Group) was a radical Salafi militant group in the Sunni Iraqi insurgency which was led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Foreign fighters were widely thought to play a key role in the group (Zarqawi himself was Jordanian Palestinian), although some analysts say it may have also had a considerable Iraqi membership.
In 2004, following the October 17 2004 Zarqawi's pledge of allegiance to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, the group became known as al-Qaeda in Iraq (official name Tanzim Qai'dat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn).
Name
This group's name, which is usually abbreviated as JTJ or shortened to Tawhid wal-Jihad or Tawhid al-Jihad (or just Tawhid), purposely contrasted the strict monotheism of Islam with the "God in three persons" of the Christian Trinity, which it saw as polytheism.
Goals
The stated goals of JTJ were to force a withdrawal of U.S-led forces from Iraq, topple the Iraqi interim government and assassinate collaborators with the "occupation," marginalize the Shiite Muslim population and defeat its militias, and to subsequently establish a pure Sunni Islamic state. Presumably, if and when those goals are achieved, the global Jihad would continue to establish a pan-Islamic state and remove Western influence from the Muslim world.
Tactics
JTJ differed from other Iraqi insurgent groups considerably in its tactics. Rather than just using conventional weapons and guerrilla tactics, it has relied heavily on suicide bombings, mostly with vehicles, targeting a wide variety of groups but most especially Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and those facilitating the occupation. U.S and coalition forces, the United Nations, foreign civilians, humanitarian organizations, Iraqi Shiite and Kurdish political and religious figures, Iraqi police and security forces, and Iraqi interim officials have also been targeted.
Zarqawi's militants have been known to use a wide variety of other tactics, however, including targeted assassinations and kidnappings, the planting of improvised explosive devices, mortar attacks, and beginning in a late June 2004 offensive urban guerilla-style attacks using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms. TWJ was also known for the brutal beheadings of foreign and Iraqi hostages, which were then distributed on the Internet in video footage attributed to the group.
JTJ cites various texts from the Qur'an and the Sunnah (traditions) of the prophet Muhammad that they perceive to support their tactics. They refer to the tradition of the prophet Muhammad where he said to the people of Makkah when conquering them, "By the one in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is in, I came to you with slaughter" narrated in the books of Hadith (traditions). They also quote the prophet Muhammad saying, "Whoever slaughters a non-Muslim (at war with Islam, i.e. those perceived to be 'enemy occupiers') sincerely for the sake of Allah, Allah will make hellfire prohibited upon him." as well as many verses of the Qur'an calling Muslims to fight invading non-Muslims and even behead them, such where Allah says in the Qur'an, "when you meet the non-Muslim (enemies in battle) strike their necks."
Activities
TWJ was blamed for some of the biggest early insurgent attacks, including:
- August 19 2003: Canal Hotel bombing that killed Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 22 others at the UN headquarters in Baghdad
- August 29 2003: Imam Ali Mosque bombing in Najaf that killed Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim and more than 85 others
- March 2 2004: Series of bombings in Baghdad and Karbala that killed some 178 people and injured hundreds during the Day of Ashura.
TWJ claimed credit for a number of attacks targeting Coalition and Iraqi forces including the October 2004 massacre of 49 unarmed, out-of-uniform Iraqi National Guard recruits.
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