Tuesday, July 20, 2004

This could be a significant development.  Al-Quds Al-`Arabi daily (which is close to Iraqi Ba`th and Sunni sources in Baghdad) reports (tomorrow Wednesday) that “notables from Iraqi falujah succeeded in evicting around 25 fighters who carry Syrian, Jordanian, and Saudi citizenship from their city after meeting with them and asking them to leave…On another front and in the same domain, the armed groups that constitute the ranks of the Iraqi resistance  like Muhammad’s Army, Victorious Asad Allah Squadrons, Al-Ghalib Ali Ibn Ibi Talib, As-Sadiq and Faruq, Islamic Wrath, and Al-`Abbas issued a joint declaration posted in mosques and in streets of Al-Falujah in which they all spilled the blood of Abu Mus`ab Az-Zarqawi and his followers.  The statement called on all Muslims to cut off his head wherever they encounter him in the same way that heads of foreign hostages were cut off and in which he distorted Islamic religion and Iraqi resistance.”  The statement also extended a hand of friendship to Shi`ites and called for cooperation with the new Iraqi (puppet) government.