Mujahideen Shura Council
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The Mujahideen Shura Council is an umbrella organization of at least six Sunni Islamist groups taking part in the Iraqi insurgency: al-Qaeda in Iraq, Jeish al-Taiifa al-Mansoura (Army of the Victorious Sect), Monotheism Supporters Brigades, Saray al-Jihad Group, al-Ghuraba Brigades, and al-Ahwal Brigades.
The formation of the group was first announced on January 15, 2006, in a statement posted to the Jihadist website Hanin Net. The statement was signed by the spokesman for al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Maysarah al-Iraqi. It was formed to resist efforts by the U.S. and Iraqi authorities to win over Sunni supporters of the insurgency. The stated purpose of the council was "Managing the struggle in the battle of confrontation to ward off the invading kafir (infidels) and their apostate stooges...Uniting the word of the mujahideen and closing their ranks...[and] determining a clear position toward developments and incidents so that people can see things clearly and the truth will not be confused with falsehood." On or before April 25, 2006, a videotape of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was released bearing the organization's logo.The Mujahideen Shura Council is believed by the United States Marine Corps to be the primary political force in the Al Anbar province. [1] [2]
The group is headed by Abdullah Rashid al-Baghdadi. [3]
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[edit] Formation
In October 2005, Iraqis claiming to be part of the Islamic Army in Iraq told The New York Times about a clash between it and al-Qaeda. U.S. and Iraqi intelligence officials also confirmed to the paper that there had been clashes between al Qaeda in Iraq and mainstream Iraqi militant groups fighting the U.S. and coalition forces in Ramadi, Husayba, Yusifiya, Dhuluiya and Karmah.[4]
On January 15, a spokesman of Zarqawi's al-Qaeda in Iraq, announced the formation of the "Majlis Shura al-Mujahideen fi al-Iraq" (Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq or Mujaheddin Consultative Council), apparently a coalition of al-Qaeda and five even smaller insurgent organisations.[5] This was apparently an attempt at regaining support.[6]
[edit] Structure
Little is known about the organizational structure of the Council, in large part due to the shadowy nature of the organization itself. Al-Qaeda in Iraq is the most powerful and visible group, though its leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed and a new leader, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, took his place. Because of the multiple leaders the Shura Council has, there seems to have been no disruption in the Shura Council’s ability to carry out attacks: more than 1600 Iraqi civilians died in the month right after Zarqawi's death, the largest number killed in a month so far. [7] Elements of the Shura Council's organization from the top to the bottom remain fluid due both to the nature of its aims and methods as well as its loose confederation. It is speculated that the group was dominated by Zarqawi's Al-Qaeda in Iraq and that his death has dealt a severe blow to the unity of the Council, but how severe is not known. [8] Aside from the murky workings of the Shura Council's leadership it is known that the Council has rather smooth operations when it comes to propaganda, the Council's propaganda czar, Murasel, regularly posts updates, criticisms, and praises for the Council's own acts of violence on a semi-daily basis at blogspot.com.
[edit] Insurgency in Iraq
On June 16, 2006, the council claimed responsibility for the alleged kidnapping of two U.S. soldiers, Private First Class Thomas Lowell Tucker and Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, during an attack that day on a roadside checkpoint in Youssifiya, an area known as the Triangle of Death. The soldiers were killed on June 19 and their bodies were found in Youssifiyah. [9]
On October 15, 2006 the Council released a video claiming to declare an Islamic Iraqi State, made up on 6 provinces including Baghdad. The current Iraqi government has discounted this noting none of the provinces mentioned are in insurgent control. [10][11]
On the same day, the Ba'ath Socialist Party, released a statement [12] which warned against 'backing any divisive plan under the pretext to protect whatever community...', a direct reference to the attempted establishment of a separate Sunni Arab state.
On October 18, 2006 According to Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf of the Interior Ministry, about 60 al-Qaida militants arrived in Ramadi, 70 miles (110 km) west of Baghdad, in 17 vehicles and remained there for 15 minutes before being forced to flee, suffering unspecified losses in clashes with security and "tribal forces". Witnesses said that dozens of masked militants dressed in white marched through the streets of the city, the capital of western Anbar province, carrying banners to exhorting people to support an Islamic state in Iraq. "We are from Mujahideen Shura Council and our Amir (Prince) is Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. God willing we will set the law of Sharia here and we will fight the Americans," said a man who identified himself as Abu Harith. "We have announced the Islamic state. Ramadi is part of it. Our state will comprise all the Sunni provinces of Iraq". [13] [14] However by late October tribal resistance seemed to have ceased and Feyadeen forces affiliated with the Shura Council staged large military parades in cities throughout the Anbar province including Ramadi, where the open presence of militants met no resistance at all. [15]
