After Iraq gains, Qaeda offshoot claims Islamic "caliphate"

Uh Oh..... Now we see the truth of the matter. They've gone and openly played their hand, complete with bestowing the appropriate title for the leader.

(Reuters) - An offshoot of al Qaeda which has seized territory in Iraq and Syria has declared itself an Islamic "caliphate" and called on factions worldwide to pledge their allegiance, a statement posted on Islamist websites and Twitter said on Sunday.

The move poses a direct challenge to the central leadership of al Qaeda, which has disowned it, and to conservative Gulf Arab rulers who already view the group as a security threat.

The group, previously known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and also known as ISIS, has renamed itself "Islamic State" and proclaimed its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as "Caliph" - the head of the state, the statement said.

Now I suppose we'll see who joins up or pledges allegiance/alliance to "Islamic State" or I guess just "IS" now.

"Accordingly, the "Iraq and Sham" (Levant) in the name of the Islamic State is henceforth removed from all official deliberations and communications, and the official name is the Islamic State from the date of this declaration," he said.

Indeed... Henceforth the murdering marauders shall be known as "IS". So say they. (really, they do, apparently. This is surreal)

It would seem the other half of this story isn't entirely clear yet, but I'm betting it won't be overly long in coming.

Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia are likely to be alarmed by the open declaration of a caliphate that challenges their power and the dynastic system on which it rests. Saudi Arabia fought al Qaeda militants for several years, finally crushing their campaign in 2006.

"Gulf rulers will view the statement as evidence that the organization poses a grave external threat to their stability," said Kristian Ulrichsen, Gulf expert at the U.S-based Baker Institute.

Source

Here is hoping the response to 'IS' will be crickets and camel spiders. Crickets for us...and the infernal monsters for them...thousands of them..in their quarters and tents and whatever they have.

I'm trying to be a little light, but because I think this really is THAT bad a development. I'm guessing inside a week, we'll know if this was a false start to a bad idea or gaining support to be the real deal they suggest themselves to be.

The Caliph Al Bagdhadi has bachelor,masters and doctorate qualifications and claims to be a direct descendent of Mohammed so he is emminately qualified to bedazzle the uneducated masses of the area and twist Islamic eschatology to his own ends now upon his release in 2009 his last words were 'see you in New York' I cannot understand why the west isn't taking this guy seriously.

a reply to: khnum

Yeah... I knew his educational background. I didn't realize he could make a connection solid enough to baffle the billions and confuse the kooks enough to sign up. That's worse news if it's half way believable.

Can imagine the reactions throughout the region .. bit surprised that israel largely keeping quiet about this mess .. would think theyd be chomping at the bit to go after them .

Looks like now theres a new rogue state in the region israel should be happy theyre not the only landgrabbing thugs on the block anymore..

Interesting developments with that announcement ..

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

So, does this mean that we have to redraw the maps again? Yet another place that most people won't be able to find on a map. Some how, I don't think his neighbors are going to put up with his plans. I could be wrong...I have been before.

Now we get to really see what the moderate muslims are made of and if they truely stand against the violence.

a reply to: Expat888

Israel being quiet isn't a good thing, in my view. People with true strength are least threatening when they are loud and sassy. That's how they get out the frustration because they know they have power to do far far more. When powerful people go quiet? They're either unconcerned...or looked well past the tantrum stage to actually doing something about it.

originally posted by: Wrabbit2000
a reply to: Expat888

Israel being quiet isn't a good thing, in my view. People with true strength are least threatening when they are loud and sassy. That's how they get out the frustration because they know they have power to do far far more. When powerful people go quiet? They're either unconcerned...or looked well past the tantrum stage to actually doing something about it.

No, its not a good thing. It's also something they may have had a hand in covertly helping along...since America funding the terrorists and America doing the bidding of Israel are two known facts.

Israel should have been stomping their feet and screaming the loudest about ANY funds going to the extremists overseas, especially considering who the ultimate target of the extremists will be once power is solidified.

It means Israel has a plan, but before they can carry out that plan, they want extremism in the form of ISIS (lol.. now IS) to grow first... The nation of Israel is/are very long range thinkers. I don't like what I think their plan is...

Note the fact they are STILL bombing Assad, someone who has a hope and a prayer of winning against this group, someone who is actively trying to stop this group. You would think Israel would at least stop the fighting against Assad for a few until this group which will ultimately knock on Israel's door, and none too nicely either, is taken out of the running.

There is a definite plan... and its not good at all.

a reply to: Expat888



Meh…

If a single fly start buzzing in the middle of the amazon jungles the Mossad will noticing it and probably will tag it for the future use. Damn Zionist regime of the Israel, the US government and her allies are all behind these creeps. That’s why they keep enjoying the drama, massacre, slaughter and blood bath in total silence.

Have you all forgotten about Libya, Syria and their criminal thugs already..? What Islam..?.. What these criminal bastards doing has nothing to do with the Islam or any kind of sane belief.

Hooray! Next stop Syrias chemical weapons and Iranian nukes. I am start to really dig this new Caliph. Lets hope he has Solomons ring or finds it soon. What did u think they were looking for out in the desert.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

Its struck me odd for some time now that israels been strangely quiet about the situation .. usually theyre the first to start shouting about "terrorists" in the region ..

leads me to suspect that somewhere along the way they have their greedy little fingers in the pie .. also odd not heard any mention by media reports of the region about israels reactions yet the reactions of every other government are mentioned / covered in media reports ..

a reply to: Wrabbit2000


They can call them self's what ever they want ! The fact is most Muslims like my self and others on this board and abroad know that they are a group of misguided terrorist . given that I fully believe Muslims around the umma (Muslim nation) will not unite under their banner of misguided extreamisim.
It is a historical fact that even during the khalifs of the past Muslims did not unite as one. Their is further proof of this during the last khalif (ottomon empire )


Mr. Al baghadi will soon lose his spot I am sure , just like the three leaders before him.
Their will be to much of a power struggle between differing groups.
..

On a side note the leader of AL Qaeda called the "IS" group extreme ......lol the ironey

a reply to: LightningStrikesHere

He did something here, that was more powerful than you realize, in announcing himself as caliph of the Islamic Nation.

To go against the caliph is to go against Islam. To fight against him is to fight against Islam.

He is forcing everyone to choose. He is forcing people to openly declare themselves against the calipha....

Denouncing him as the leader of ISIS isn't the same as denouncing the calipha.

Times of Israel seems to paint this fellow as more impressive than I'd once thought. From the quote below, I would think that the immediate future will prove to be a lot more interesting. It would not appear that we can write him off just yet.

Much of the appeal also stems from Baghdadi himself — the ISIL leader is touted as a battlefield commander and tactician, a crucial distinction compared with Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.

“Baghdadi has done an amazing amount — he has captured cities, he has mobilized huge amounts of people, he is killing ruthlessly throughout Iraq and Syria,” said Richard Barrett, a former counter-terrorism chief at MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence service.

“If you were a guy who wanted action, you would go with Baghdadi,” Barrett told AFP.

At the time Baghdadi took over what was then known as the Islamic State of Iraq, or ISI, in May 2010, his group appeared to be on the ropes, after the “surge” of US forces combined with the shifting allegiances of Sunni tribesmen to deal him a blow.

But the group has bounced back, expanding into Syria in 2013.

Baghdadi sought to merge with Al-Nusra, which rejected the deal, and the two groups have operated separately since.

link

There is also a breaking report of 8 crucifixions in Tikrit.

He would have done better by declaring himself the Mahdi. I wonder if Iran will declare they are in communication with the 12th Imaum?

a reply to: OpinionatedB

That's exactly why I keyed on this and above all the other stories rolling out every day about it. He really threw down the glove in an all or nothing with it, as I see it. He either now sees it through to completion, or he will die trying. His own followers will see to that at this stage I think.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

It is all or nothing. But he has given himself the perfect and very defensible position. You cannot fight against the calipha unless he has openly sinned against Islam.

And... according to sunni Islam in the teachings of many of these groups including salafi, is that he has not committed any sin, even by killing all these people - because he can say they are kafir or were fighting with the christians and it was his duty or some other such thing.

It's a rather untenable thing he just did... none of these scholars that have been teaching all this stuff for these last 30 years can go against him, without calling their own selves out as being false teachers of Islam.

Basically, unless people stand up and admit to some mistakes here and fight anyway.... sunni's are in a very very bad position here. It's going to be dicey from this point forward, how many leaders will fight him anyway, and how many sunnis will follow suit. He is out to win, there is no doubt of that.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000
And from Isis we now have Horus the god of war.

Here it comes people.

a reply to: OpinionatedB



That's what I was afraid of.

originally posted by: Hanslune
He would have done better by declaring himself the Mahdi. I wonder if Iran will declare they are in communication with the 12th Imaum?

If I'm not mistaken.....Calling himself the Mahdi would have been like Obama walking out and calling himself Jesus Christ in 100% dead seriousness. The Mahdi isn't a descendant or a bloodline bequest of power. I believe he's supposed to be a literal entity still alive 'down there' somewhere, to rise in a spectacular way at some future point.