The leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, criticised moderate Sunnis for taking part in electoral politics and called on them to join a holy war, according to a Web audio tape posted on Sunday.
The speaker, who sounded like Zarqawi, also denounced as US agents Arab states working for political reconciliation in Iraq. The tape, posted on a main Islamist Web site often used by insurgent groups in Iraq, could not be authenticated.
The speaker criticised the moderate Iraqi Islamic Party, viewed as the largest Sunni Arab party, for endorsing a new constitution, a move which boosted the Shiâite- and Kurdish-led government.
âWe call on the Islamic Party to leave this path ... which leads to the destruction of the Sunnis,â the speaker said, urging it to abandon the electoral âgameâ.
âPutting out the flames of jihad (holy war) among the people ... is surrendering them to their enemy,â he said.
âWe had the power to disrupt the elections in most parts of Iraq but did not do it in order not to harm the Sunni masses,â the speaker said, referring to last monthâs parliamentary polls which were mostly peaceful.
âAnd what you hear from ... the White House about the situation constantly improving in Iraq, the Iraqi army assuming more responsibilities and extending its control over Baghdad and beyond in a complete lie.â
The speaker noted that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has called the US-led invasion of Iraq a ânew Crusade against the Islamic worldâ and called on Muslims to join the insurgents.
âO Muslim youths ... especially in (Iraqâs) neighbouring countries and Yemen, jihad is your duty.â
The speaker said insurgents had carried out about 800 suicide attacks in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iraqi and US officials say Islamists from other Arab countries were behind many of the attacks.
The speaker rejected any compromise with the US-backed Baghdad government and sharply criticised Arab countries for seeking a reconciliation in Iraq.
âThe countries that met in Cairo ... were involved in destroying Iraq and cooperated with America by opening their land, air space and waters and offering intelligence to it,â said the speaker.
He was referring to an Arab League conference in November that tried to reconcile Iraqi political factions. |