TERRORISM: BIN LADIN STATEMENT LATEST EFFORT TO PUBLICLY RECAST IRAQ JIHAD

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06844963
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2020
• Case Number: F-2019-02190
• Publication Date: March 22, 2008

Approved for Release: 2020/02/21 C06844963
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Article
Terrorism: Bin Ladin Statement Latest Effort To Publicly Recast Iraq Jihad
OFFICE OF TERRORISM ANALYSIS
Usama Bin Ladin's 21 March statement criticizing Palestinian leaders for
abandoning jihad likely reflects al-Qa`ida leaders'
mounting attempts to publicly deflect attention from their lagging Iraq
jihad. Bin Ladin and Ayman al-Zawahiri since late last year have been
deemphasizing tactical battleground ups and downs in Iraq by highlighting in
propaganda that the jihad there is part of a larger, long-term regional struggle
that will lead to the eventual "liberation" of Jerusalem�a message al-Qa`ida in
Iraq (AQ1) recently echoed through its political front group the Islamic State of
Iraq (ISO. Bin Ladin uses his latest statement to remind Palestinians and other
Muslims that it is their religious duty to wage jihad against "illegitimate" regional
governments, a less acrimonious approach than that used last month by the
notional ISI leader Abu Umar al-Baghdadi�who openly implied HAMAS leaders
are apostates�but nonetheless reflecting a similar sentiment.
� Bin Ladin's 11-minute statement reiterated al-Qa`ida's Levant narrative: that
jihad, not political engagement, is the only way to "liberate" Palestine and
that local apostate governments are complicit in the "siege" of the Gaza
Strip.
� We judge al-Qa`ida will increasingly rely on this approach to both rally and
assuage followers that success or failure in Iraq�which they have made a
central part of their global insurgency�cannot be measured through
immediate developments in the theater.
This statement�issued a day after the fifth
anniversary of the start of the Iraq war�couples success in Iraq with the future
success of a regional jihad to reclaim "Palestine." The statement also may be a
further attempt to appease critics who have questioned al-Qaida's sincerity in
only recently seeking direct involvement in Palestinian issues, by underscoring
that Iraq has always been the first step to expanding al-Qaida's jihad westward.
� Bin Ladin reiterated in this and his 29 December 2007 statement that Iraq is
the closest jihad to "Palestine" and that after their victory in Iraq, mujahidin
brigades will march from Iraq to reclaim Israeli-occupied territory.
22 March 2008
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Article Terrorism: Bin Ladin Statement Latest Effort To...
Continued
Bin Ladin's statement�which is clearly directed at HAMAS as well as Fatah
leaders�also is likely an attempt to subtly weigh in on a recent pointed
propaganda exchange between AQI and HAMAS. Bin Ladin's statement
suggests he is seeking to present a united ideological front with AQI by criticizing
HAMAS, but stops short of explicitly chastising HAMAS, which has considerable
political and ideological sway in the region.
� Al-Qa'ida's propaganda toward HAMAS, including Bin Ladin's statement this
week, has chided the group for its political engagement, but stayed
relatively conciliatory by offering its leadership a chance to return to the
"correct" path of jihad. Bin Ladin in his December public statement called on
the group to "correct its course" and Zawahiri in a 10 July 2007 statement
urged HAMAS to embrace a "new opportunity" to disengage from domestic
and international agreements and cooperate with other mujahidin to
reestablish the Caliphate.
� Abu Umar in mid-February took a more confrontational approach when he
publicly denounced HAMAS and outlined eight instances of its leaders'
betrayal. HAMAS responded by publicly criticizing Abu Umar for his group's
"fascistic takfiri bloody and extremist project" and brutal tactics, vowing that
the door is permanently closed for his followers to enter Palestine.
� Al-Qa`ida leaders were undoubtedly concerned that this exchange, if not
quickly defused, could lead to a distracting or even counterproductive intra-
Sunni rhetorical conflict. Al-Qa`ida leaders have avoided calling HAMAS
apostates�a charge punishable by death�and will likely seek to further
clarify the group's position in future statements.
22 March 2008
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