Hydrablog

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092800654.html
Zarqawi Successor Exhorts Scientists
Tape Urges Experts To Join Fight in Iraq
Associated Press
Friday, September 29, 2006; A15 [-ir] [hydra] [zarqawi’s replacement] [audio tape first reported yesterday in external] [followup] [bill of particulars] [use psci 469] [********]
BAGHDAD, Sept. 28 -- Al-Qaeda in Iraq's leader, [*****] in a chilling audiotape released Thursday, called for nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war [*******] and urged insurgents to kidnap Westerners so they could be traded for a blind Egyptian sheik [*******] who is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
The fugitive group leader said experts in the fields of "chemistry, physics, electronics, media and all other sciences -- especially nuclear scientists and explosives experts" [********] should join his group's holy war against the West.
"We are in dire need of you," said the speaker, who identified himself as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer [****]-- also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri. [*****] "The field of jihad can satisfy your scientific ambitions, and the large American bases are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty, as they call them." [*************] [evidence that –iraq has become jihadis’ proving grounds] [*****]
The 20-minute audio was posted on a Web site that frequently airs al-Qaeda messages. [*****] The voice could not be independently identified, but it was thought to be Muhajer's. He is believed to have succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June, [******]as head of the al-Qaeda-linked organization.
Thursday's message focused attention on Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, 68, an Egyptian cleric who was convicted in 1995 of seditious conspiracy for his advisory role in a plot to assassinate Egypt's president and blow up five New York City landmarks. [*******]
"I appeal to every holy warrior in the land of Iraq to exert all efforts in this holy month so that God may enable us to capture some of the Western dogs to swap them with our sheik and get him out of his dark prison," [***********] said Muhajer, who is also Egyptian. [*********] [interesting return to the Blind Sheik as the ulema or authoritative scholar who my bless specific actions and give them religious justification] [******]
He also said more than 4,000 foreign militants have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 -- the first known statement from the insurgents about their death toll.
It was unclear why Muhajer would advertise the loss of the group's foreign fighters, but martyrdom is revered among Islamic fundamentalists and could be used as a recruiting tool. [********]Analysts said the announcement was probably a boast aimed at drumming up support.
"It's showing the level of dedication to their cause, the level of sacrifice jihadists are making," said Ben N. Venzke, director of the Alexandria-based IntelCenter, which monitors terrorism communications.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company